Yersiniabactin iron uptake: mechanisms and role in Yersinia pestis pathogenesis.

Robert D Perry, Jacqueline D Fetherston

Journal: Microbes and infection 2011;13(10):808-17

PMID: 21609780

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Abstract

Yersiniabactin (Ybt) is a siderophore-dependent iron uptake system encoded on a pathogenicity island that is widespread among pathogenic bacteria including the Yersiniae. While biosynthesis of the siderophore has been elucidated, the secretion mechanism and a few components of the uptake/utilization pathway are unidentified. ybt genes are transcriptionally repressed by Fur but activated by YbtA, likely in combination with the siderophore itself. The Ybt system is essential for the ability of Yersinia pestis to cause bubonic plague and important in pneumonic plague as well. However, the ability to cause fatal septicemic plague is independent of Ybt.

Address: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, MS415 Medical Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA. [email protected]

DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.04.008

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MeSH Terms: Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Humans, Iron, Phenols, Plague, Thiazoles, Virulence Factors, Yersinia pestis