biostudies-literatureSeki KKowa Life Science FoundationJapan Agency for Medical Research and DevelopmentJapan Society for the Promotion of Science111012https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12796733biostudies-literatureUnknown302(1)Streptococcus pyogenes causes a range of infectious diseases. In an era of increasing antibiotic resistance, new antimicrobial strategies targeting virulence factors, rather than essential survival mechanisms, are being explored. A key virulence factor in S. pyogenes is the bacterial iron acquisition system, because iron is essential but limited in the host due to sequestration by proteins like hemoglobin. The bacteria S. pyogenes possesses the Shr protein that acquires heme from host hemoglobin and transfers it to Shp, a membrane proximity protein. Shr comprises multiple domains, including two NEAr-Transporter (NEAT) domains that directly bind to heme. While structural information of NEAT domains from other bacteria are available, the structure of NEAT domains from Shr remains unknown. InThe Journal of biological chemistryStructural basis for heme binding by the Shr protein from Streptococcus pyogenes.PMC12796733JP23ama12103124K18262JP22ama121033Caaveiro JMMNagatoishi SYanaka SSeki KNakakido MTsumoto KSenoo AfalseStructural basis for heme binding by the Shr protein from Streptococcus pyogenes.Streptococcus pyogenes causes a range of infectious diseases. In an era of increasing antibiotic resistance, new antimicrobial strategies targeting virulence factors, rather than essential survival mechanisms, are being explored. A key virulence factor in S. pyogenes is the bacterial iron acquisition system, because iron is essential but limited in the host due to sequestration by proteins like hemoglobin. The bacteria S. pyogenes possesses the Shr protein that acquires heme from host hemoglobin and transfers it to Shp, a membrane proximity protein. Shr comprises multiple domains, including two NEAr-Transporter (NEAT) domains that directly bind to heme. While structural information of NEAT domains from other bacteria are available, the structure of NEAT domains from Shr remains unknown. In2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Dec2026-06-09T05:35:41.863Z2026-06-09T03:07:39.747ZS-EPMC127967334135434110.1016/j.jbc.2025.111012