title: Lack of activity of transferrins towards Streptococcus spp.
abstract: Clinically relevant Streptococcus spp. were tested for their susceptibility towards human serum transferrin (TR) and lactoferrin (LF). Neither clinical isolates or type strains were inhibited by transferrins (5 mg/ml). All species tested were shown to be able to grow under iron-limiting conditions (< 0.1 microM) and this might account for the lack of TR or LF activity towards streptococci. Even if not sensitive to LF and TR, some species were shown to bind LF in the apo-form.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Batteriologia e Micologia Medica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Hunolstein
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orefici
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D003470:Culture Media; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014168:Transferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron; D007781:Lactoferrin