Project description:Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a commensal microorganism of the normal human nasopharyngeal flora, yet also an opportunistic pathogen of the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Changes in gene expression patterns in response to host microenvironments are likely critical for persistence. One such system of gene regulation is the ability to carefully regulate iron uptake. A central regulatory system that controls iron uptake, mediated by the ferric uptake regulator Fur, is present in multiple bacteria, including NTHi. To understand the regulation of iron homeostasis in NTHi, fur was deleted in the prototypic NTHi clinical isolate, 86-028NP. Using an NTHi-specific microarray, we identified genes whose expression was repressed or activated by Fur.
Project description:Characterization of a novel haem-binding protein that is secreted by two Haemophilus haemolyticus isolates, BW1 and RHH122, and that inhibits the growth of the pathogen non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) in vitro.