The ferric aerobactin receptor IutA, a protein isolated on agarose column, is not essential for uropathogenic Escherichia coli infection.
Although many proteins have been described involved in Escherichia coli colonization and infection, only few reports have shown lectins as important components in these processes. Because the mechanisms underlying E. coli colonization process involving lectins are not fully understood, we sought to identify the presence of other non-described lectins in E. coli. Here, we isolated a 75-kDa protein from E. coli on Sepharose column and identified it as ferric aerobactin receptor (IutA). Since IutA is controversially associated with virulence of some E. coli strains, mainly in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), we evaluated the presence of iutA gene in UPEC isolated from patients with urinary infection. This gene was present in only 38% of the isolates, suggesting a weak association with virulence. Because there is a redundancy in the siderophore-mediated uptake systems, we suggest that IutA can be advantageous but not essential for UPEC.
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Taise Natali
TN
Landgraf
Alan
A
Berlese
Fabricio Freitas
FF
Fernandes
Mariani Lima
ML
Milanezi
Roberto
R
Martinez
Ademilson
A
Panunto-Castelo
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012685:Sepharose; D056689:Uropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C034506:aerobactin receptor; D012685:Sepharose