title: Interaction between Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharides and human hemoglobin.
abstract: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, a bacterium associated with juvenile periodontitis, was found to use human hemoglobin as a source of iron for cell growth. Cultivation in the presence of hemoglobin had only a slight effect on the cellular protein pattern, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. Lipopolysaccharides obtained from A. actinomycetemcomitans were found to have a strong capacity to bind hemoglobin. This interaction appears not to involve the lipid A portion of the molecule as no inhibition was obtained when lipopolysaccharides were pre-treated with polymyxin B. This interaction between hemoglobin and lipopolysaccharides of A. actinomycetemcomitans may facilitate iron acquisition by this bacterium.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de recherche en écologie buccale, Faculté de médecine dentaire, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. Daniel.Grenier@greb.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grenier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leduc
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mayrand
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D007501:Iron