Download MendeleyDiscovery and characterization of a unique mycobacterial heme acquisition system.
Tullius, M.V., Harmston, C.A., Owens, C.P., Chim, N., Morse, R.P., McMath, L.M., Iniguez, A., Kimmey, J.M., Sawaya, M.R., Whitelegge, J.P., Horwitz, M.A., Goulding, C.W.(2011) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108: 5051-5056
- PubMed: 21383189
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1009516108
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
3MAY - PubMed Abstract:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis must import iron from its host for survival, and its siderophore-dependent iron acquisition pathways are well established. Here we demonstrate a newly characterized pathway, whereby M. tuberculosis can use free heme and heme from hemoglobin as an iron source. Significantly, we identified the genomic region, Rv0202c-Rv0207c, responsible for the passage of heme iron across the mycobacterial membrane. Key players of this heme uptake system were characterized including a secreted protein and two transmembrane proteins, all three specific to mycobacteria. Furthermore, the crystal structure of the key heme carrier protein Rv0203 was found to have a unique fold. The discovery of a unique mycobacterial heme acquisition pathway opens new avenues of exploration into mycobacterial therapeutics.
Organizational Affiliation:
Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
