Role of Iron Uptake Systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence and Airway Infection

• DOI: 10.1128/iai.00098-16
• Publication Date: 2016-06-07T03:13:47Z
• Authors: Fabrizia Minandri; Francesco Imperi; Emanuela Frangipani; Carlo Bonchi; Daniela Visaggio; Marcella Facchini; Paolo Pasquali; Alessandra Bragonzi; Paolo Visca
• Keywords: Pyoverdine

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia and chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Iron essential for bacterial growth, P. expresses multiple iron uptake systems, whose role infection deserves further investigation. Fe 3+ systems include the pyoverdine pyochelin siderophores two heme uptake, all which are dependent on TonB energy transducer. also has FeoB transporter 2+ acquisition. To assess roles individual infection, single double deletion mutants were generated PAO1 characterized vitro , using iron-poor media human serum, vivo mouse model infection. The uptake-null mutant ( tonB1 feoB ) transport did not grow aerobically under low-iron conditions avirulent model. Conversely, wild type hasR phuR (heme uptake), pchD (pyochelin) grew caused 60 to 90% mortality mice. pvdA siderophore-null but they low mice (10 20%). differentiate virulence regulation, fpvR defective production expressing wild-type levels pyoverdine-regulated factors was generated. Deletion background partially restored lethal phenotype, indicating that contributes pathogenesis by combining virulence-inducing capabilities.