A Slam-dependent hemophore contributes to heme acquisition in the bacterial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii

Thomas J. Bateman, Megha Shah, Timothy Pham Ho, Hyejin Esther Shin, Chuxi Pan, Greg Harris, Jamie E. Fegan, Epshita A. Islam, Sang Kyun Ahn, Yogesh Hooda, Scott D. Gray-Owen, Wangxue Chen and Trevor F. Moraes ()
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Thomas J. Bateman: University of Toronto
Megha Shah: University of Toronto
Timothy Pham Ho: University of Toronto
Hyejin Esther Shin: University of Toronto
Chuxi Pan: University of Toronto
Greg Harris: National Research Council Canada, Human Health Therapeutics (HHT) Research Center
Jamie E. Fegan: University of Toronto
Epshita A. Islam: University of Toronto
Sang Kyun Ahn: University of Toronto
Yogesh Hooda: University of Toronto
Scott D. Gray-Owen: University of Toronto
Wangxue Chen: National Research Council Canada, Human Health Therapeutics (HHT) Research Center
Trevor F. Moraes: University of Toronto

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Nutrient acquisition systems are often crucial for pathogen growth and survival during infection, and represent attractive therapeutic targets. Here, we study the protein machinery required for heme uptake in the opportunistic pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. We show that the hemO locus, which includes a gene encoding the heme-degrading enzyme, is required for high-affinity heme acquisition from hemoglobin and serum albumin. The hemO locus includes a gene coding for a heme scavenger (HphA), which is secreted by a Slam protein. Furthermore, heme uptake is dependent on a TonB-dependent receptor (HphR), which is important for survival and/or dissemination into the vasculature in a mouse model of pulmonary infection. Our results indicate that A. baumannii uses a two-component receptor system for the acquisition of heme from host heme reservoirs.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-26545-9

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26545-9

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