title: Genetic analysis of petrobactin transport in Bacillus anthracis.
abstract: Iron acquisition mechanisms play an important role in the pathogenesis of many infectious microbes. In Bacillus anthracis, the siderophore petrobactin is required for both growth in iron-depleted conditions and for full virulence of the bacterium. Here we demonstrate the roles of two putative petrobactin binding proteins FatB and FpuA (encoded by GBAA5330 and GBAA4766 respectively) in B. anthracis iron acquisition and pathogenesis. Markerless deletion mutants were created using allelic exchange. The Delta fatB strain was capable of wild-type levels of growth in iron-depleted conditions, indicating that FatB does not play an essential role in petrobactin uptake. In contrast, Delta fpuA bacteria exhibited a significant decrease in growth under low-iron conditions when compared with wild-type bacteria. This mutant could not be rescued by the addition of exogenous purified petrobactin. Further examination of this strain demonstrated increased levels of petrobactin accumulation in the culture supernatants, suggesting no defect in siderophore synthesis or export but, instead, an inability of Delta fpuA to import this siderophore. Delta fpuA spores were also significantly attenuated in a murine model of inhalational anthrax. These results provide the first genetic evidence demonstrating the role of FpuA in petrobactin uptake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Shandee D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Janes
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Tyler D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Nusca
authors.forename: Erica C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Sarra E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Keene
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hanna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000382:microbiology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001549:Benzamides / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D017262:Siderophores / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001549:Benzamides; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017262:Siderophores; D037521:Virulence Factors; C450699:petrobactin; D007501:Iron