Metal selectivity by the virulence-associated yersiniabactin metallophore system.

ABSTRACT: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli secrete siderophores during human infections. Although siderophores are classically defined by their ability to bind iron(III) ions, the virulence-associated siderophore yersiniabactin was recently found to bind divalent copper ions during urinary tract infections. Here we use a mass spectrometric approach to determine the extent of non-iron(III) metal interactions by yersiniabactin and its TonB-dependent outer membrane importer FyuA. In addition to copper, iron and gallium ions, yersiniabactin was also observed to form stable nickel, cobalt, and chromium ion complexes. In E. coli, copper(II) and all other non-iron(III) yersiniabactin complexes were imported by FyuA in a TonB-dependent manner. Among metal-yersiniabactin complexes, copper(II) yersiniabactin is

SUBMITTER: Koh EI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4809022 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature