title: A proteomic analysis of the iron response of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae reveals metabolic adaptations to iron levels changes and novel potential virulence factors.
abstract: Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae (Pdd) is a marine bacterium that can infect numerous species of marine fish as well as other species including humans. Low iron availability is one of the signs that bacterial pathogens can detect in order to begin colonizing their host, and the reduction of iron levels is a nonspecific host defense strategy that prevents bacterial proliferation. In this work a proteomic approach was used to study the gene expression adaptations of a Pdd strain in response to iron availability. A comparative analysis of induced proteins in both high- and low-iron conditions showed profound cellular metabolic adaptations that result, for instance, in amino acid requirement. It also provided important information about the changes that occur in the energetic metabolism induced by the surrounding iron levels, allowing for the identification of novel potential virulence factors. Among others, genes involved in the synthesis and transport of a vibrioferrin-like siderophore were identified for the first time. In addition to plasmid pPHDD1-encoded Dly and HlyA hemolysins, a pPHDD1-borne operon, which may encode a transferrin receptor, was also found. This operon identification suggests that this virulence plasmid could encode so-far unknown additional virulence factors other than hemolysins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Sur, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Puentes
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Sur, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balado
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Sur, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bermúdez-Crespo
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Sur, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Osorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Sur, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain. Electronic address: manuel.lemos@usc.es.
authors.forename: Manuel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lemos
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D010776:Photobacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D040901:Proteomics; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000235:genetics; D017262:Siderophores / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D017262:Siderophores; D037521:Virulence Factors; D007501:Iron
keywords: Bacterial virulence factors; Fish vibriosis; Iron-regulated proteins; Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae