title: Mycobacterial truncated hemoglobins: from genes to functions.
abstract: Infections caused by bacteria belonging to genus Mycobacterium are among the most challenging threats for human health. The ability of mycobacteria to persist in vivo in the presence of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species implies the presence in these bacteria of effective detoxification mechanisms. Mycobacterial truncated hemoglobins (trHbs) have recently been implicated in scavenging of reactive nitrogen species. Individual members from each trHb family (N, O, and P) can be present in the same mycobacterial species. The distinct features of the heme active site structure combined with different ligand binding properties and in vivo expression patterns of mycobacterial trHbs suggest that these globins may accomplish diverse functions. Here, recent genomic, structural and biochemical information on mycobacterial trHbs is reviewed, with the aim of providing further insights into the role of these globins in mycobacterial physiology.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases I.R.C.C.S. Lazzaro Spallanzani, Via Portuense 292, I-00149 Roma, Italy. ascenzi@uniroma3.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ascenzi
authors.forename: Martino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bolognesi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guertin
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Visca
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006420:Hemeproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006420:Hemeproteins; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species