The 58-kilodalton major virulence factor of Francisella tularensis is required for efficient utilization of iron.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the role of the 58-kDa FTT0918 protein in the iron metabolism of Francisella tularensis. The phenotypes of SCHU S4, a prototypic strain of F. tularensis subsp. tularensis, and the Delta FTT0918 and Delta fslA isogenic mutants were analyzed. The gene product missing in the Delta fslA mutant is responsible for synthesis of a siderophore. When grown in broth with various iron concentrations, the two deletion mutants generally reached lower maximal densities than SCHU S4. The Delta FTT0918 mutant, but not the Delta fslA mutant, upregulated the genes of the F. tularensis siderophore locus (fsl) operon even at high iron concentrations. A chrome azurol sulfonate plate assay confirmed siderophore production by all strains except the Delta fslA strain. In a cross-feeding experiment

SUBMITTER: Lindgren H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2747937 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature