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S almonella acquires ferrous iron from haemophagocytic macrophages
Author(s) -
Nagy Toni A.,
Moreland Sarah M.,
Detweiler Corrella S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.12739
Subject(s) - ferrous , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , transporter , mutant , bacteria , macrophage , siderophore , dmt1 , ferric , wild type , strain (injury) , in vitro , biochemistry , chemistry , gene , genetics , organic chemistry , anatomy
Summary Bacteria harbour both ferrous and ferric iron transporters. We now report that infection of macrophages and mice with a S almonella enterica T yphimurium strain containing an inactivated feoB ‐ encoded ferrous iron transporter results in increased bacterial replication, compared to infection with wild type. Inactivation of other cation transporters, SitABCD or MntH , did not increase bacterial replication. The feoB mutant strain does not have an intrinsically faster growth rate. Instead, increased replication correlated with increased expression in macrophages of the fepB ‐ encoded bacterial ferric iron transporter and also required siderophores, which capture ferric iron. Co‐infection of mice with wild type and a feoB mutant strain yielded a different outcome: FeoB is clearly required for tissue colonization. In co‐infected primary mouse macrophages, FeoB is required for S . T yphimurium replication if the macrophages were IFN γ treated and contain phagocytosed erythrocytes, a model for haemophagocytosis. Haemophagocytes are macrophages that have engulfed erythrocytes and/or leucocytes and can harbour S almonella in mice. These observations suggest that S almonella acquires ferrous iron from haemophagocytic macrophages.