title: Binding of hemin and congo red by oral hemolytic spirochetes.
abstract: Colony-forming units or cells in suspension of oral anaerobic spirochetes (Treponema denticola, Treponema vincentii and Treponema socranskii) bind hemin and Congo red. Hemin or Congo red binds to a hydrophobic polypeptide receptor that is located in the outer membrane of the bacterial cells and it has a relative molecular mass of 47 kDa. These oral spirochetes also lyse sheep erythrocytes to produce beta-hemolytic zones around colony-forming units. The oral spirochetes may acquire iron for growth when they lyse erythrocytes and bind heme from which they may sequester and transport iron into the cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Siboo
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klitorinos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siboo
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D003224:Congo Red / Q000378:metabolism*; D006427:Hemin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006461:Hemolysis; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017262:Siderophores / Q000032:analysis; D014208:Treponema / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017262:Siderophores; D003224:Congo Red; D006427:Hemin