SummaryGram-negative pathogenic bacteria have evolved novel strategies to obtain iron from host haemsequestering proteins. These include the production of specific outer membrane receptors that bind directly to host haem-sequestering proteins, secreted haem-binding proteins (haemophores) that bind haem/haemoglobin/haemopexin and deliver the complex to a bacterial cell surface receptor and bacterial proteases that degrade haem-sequestering proteins. Once removed from haem-sequestering proteins, haem may be transported via the bacterial outer membrane receptor into the cell. Recent studies have begun to define the steps by which haem is removed from bacterial haem proteins and transported into the cell. This review describes recent work on the discovery and characterization of these systems. Reference is also made to the transport of haem in serum (via haemoglobin, haemoglobin/haptoglobin, haemopexin, albumin and lipoproteins) and to mechanisms of iron removal from the haem itself (probably via a haem oxygenase pathway in which the protoporphyrin ring is degraded). Haem protein±receptor interactions are discussed in terms of the criteria that govern protein±protein interactions in general, and connections between haem transport and the emerging field of metal transport via metallochaperones are outlined.

Previous genetic and biochemical studies have confirmed that hemoglobin and hemin utilization in Porphyromonas gingivalis is mediated by the outer membrane hemoglobin and heme receptor HmuR, as well as gingipain K (Kgp), a lysine-specific cysteine protease, and gingipain R1 (HRgpA), one of two arginine-specific cysteine proteases. In this study we report on the binding specificity of the recombinant P. gingivalis HmuR protein and native gingipains for hemoglobin, hemin, various porphyrins, and metalloporphyrins as assessed by spectrophotometric assays, by affinity chromatography, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Protoporphyrin, mesoporphyrin, deuteroporphyrin, hematoporphyrin, and some of their iron, copper, and zinc derivatives were examined to evaluate the

The pH-induced isomerization of horse heart cytochrome c has been studied by tH NMR. We find that the transition occurring in D20 with a pKa measured as 9.5+0.1 is from the native species to a mixture of two basic forms which have very similar NMR spectra. The heme methyl peaks of these two forms have been assigned by 2D exchange NMR. The forward rate constant (native to alkaline cytochrome c) has a value of 4.0+0.6 s -~ at 27°C and is independent of pH; the reverse rate constant is pH-dependent. The activation parameters are zlH~ = 12.8 +0.8 keal.moP, z/S~ = -12.9 __+ 2.0 e.u. for the forward reaction and ,Jilt = 6.0_+0.3 kcal.mo1-1, AS~= -35.1 + 1.3 e.u. for the reverse reaction (pH* =9.28).ztH ° and z/S ° for the isomerization are 6.7 + 0.6 kcal.mol -~ and 21.9 + 1.0 e.u., respectively.

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We have previously identified and characterized a heme/hemoglobin receptor, HmuR, in Porphyromonas gingivalis. To analyze the conserved amino acid residues of HmuR that may be involved in hemin/hemoprotein binding and utilization, we constructed a series of P. gingivalis A7436 hmuR mutants with amino acid replacements and characterized the ability of these mutants to utilize hemin and hemoproteins. Site-directed mutagenesis was employed to introduce mutations H95A, H434A, H95A-H434A, YRAP420-423YAAA, and NPDL442-445NAAA into HmuR in both P. gingivalis and Escherichia coli. Point mutations at H95 and H434 and in the NPDL motif of HmuR resulted in decreased binding to hemin, hemoglobin, and human serum albuminhemin complex. Notably, mutations of these conserved sites and motifs led to reduced growth of P. gingivalis when human serum was used as the heme source. Analysis using a three-dimensional homology model of HmuR indicated that H95, H434, and the NPDL motif are present on apical or extracellular loops of HmuR, while the YRAP motif is present on the barrel wall. Taken together, these results support a role for H95, H434, and the NPDL motif of the P. gingivalis HmuR protein in heme binding and utilization of serum hemoproteins and the HmuR YRAP motif in serum hemoprotein utilization.

SummaryA growing body of evidence suggests that surface or secreted proteins with NEAr Transporter (NEAT) domains play a central role in haem acquisition and trafficking across the cell envelope of Grampositive bacteria. Group A streptococcus (GAS), a b-haemolytic human pathogen, expresses a NEAT protein, Shr, which binds several haemoproteins and extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Shr is a complex, membrane-anchored protein, with a unique N-terminal domain (NTD) and two NEAT domains separated by a central leucine-rich repeat region. In this study we have carried out an analysis of the functional domains in Shr. We show that Shr obtains haem in solution and furthermore reduces the haem iron; this is the first report of haem reduction by a NEAT protein.More specifically, we demonstrate that both of the constituent NEAT domains of Shr are responsible for binding haem, although they are missing a critical tyrosine residue found in the ligandbinding pocket of other haem-binding NEAT domains. Further investigations show that a previously undescribed region within the Shr NTD interacts with methaemoglobin. Shr NEAT domains, however, do not contribute significantly to the binding of methaemoglobin but mediate binding to the ECM components fibronectin and laminin. A protein fragment containing the NTD plus the first NEAT domain was found to be sufficient to sequester haem directly from methaemoglobin. Correlating these in vitro findings to in vivo biological function, mutants analysis establishes the role of Shr in GAS growth with methaemoglobin as a sole source of iron, and indicates that at least one NEAT domain is necessary for the utilization of methaemoglobin. We suggest that Shr is the prototype of a new group of NEAT composite proteins involved in haem uptake found in pyogenic streptococci and Clostridium novyi.

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We have evaluated the anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity of a series of natural and synthetic porphyrins to identify compounds that could potentially be used as microbicides to provide a defense against infection by sexually transmitted virus. For assays we used an epithelial HeLa-CD4 cell line with an integrated long terminal repeat-␤-galactosidase gene. For structure-activity analysis, we divided the porphyrins tested into three classes: (i) natural porphyrins, (ii) metallo-tetraphenylporphyrin tetrasulfonate (metallo-TPPS4) derivatives, and (iii) sulfonated tetra-arylporphyrin derivatives. None of the natural porphyrins studied reduced infection by more than 80% at a concentration of 5 g/ml in these assays. Some metal chelates of TPPS4 were more active, and a number of sulfonated tetra-aryl derivatives showed significantly higher activity. Some of the most active compounds were the sulfonated tetranaphthyl porphyrin (TNapPS), sulfonated tetra-anthracenyl porphyrin (TAnthPS), and sulfonated 2,6-difluoro-meso-tetraphenylporphine [TPP(2,6-F2)S] and its copper chelate [TPP(2,6-F2)S,Cu], which reduced infection by 99, 96, 94, and 96%, respectively. Our observations indicate that at least some of these compounds are virucidal, i.e., that they render the virus noninfectious. The active compounds were found to inhibit binding of the HIV type 1 gp120 to CD4 and also to completely inhibit the ability of Env proteins expressed from recombinant vectors to induce cell fusion with receptor-bearing target cells. These results support the conclusion that modified porphyrins exhibit substantial activity against HIV and that their target is the HIV Env protein.