Open AccessUtilization of myoglobin as a heme source by Haemophilus influenzae requires binding of myoglobin to haptoglobin
Author(s) -
Morton Daniel J.,
Van Wagoner Timothy M.,
Seale Thomas W.,
Whitby Paul W.,
Stull Terrence L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00230.x
Subject(s) - myoglobin , haptoglobin , haemophilus influenzae , heme , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , hemeprotein , biochemistry , medicine , biology , enzyme , antibiotics
Haemophilus influenzae has an absolute growth requirement for heme. One potential in vivo source of heme is the protein myoglobin which is found at low levels in human serum. No tested H. influenzae strain was able to use myoglobin as a heme source. However, all strains were able to utilize the heme from myoglobin when myoglobin was complexed with haptoglobin. Utilization of the haptoglobin–myoglobin complex was shown to be mediated by the previously described hemoglobin/hemoglobin–haptoglobin‐binding proteins of H. influenzae .