Numerous bacteria cope with the scarcity of iron in their microenvironment by synthesizing small iron-scavenging molecules known as siderophores. Mammals have evolved countermeasures to block siderophore-mediated iron acquisition as part of their innate immune response. Secreted lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) sequesters the Escherichia coli siderophore enterobactin (Ent), preventing E. coli from acquiring iron and protecting mammals from infection by E. coli. Here, we show that the iroA gene cluster, found in many pathogenic strains of Gram-negative enteric bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Klebsiella pneumoniae, allows bacteria to evade sequestration of Ent by Lcn2. We demonstrate that Cglucosylated derivatives of Ent produced by iroA-encoded enzymes do not bind purified Lcn2, and an iroA-harboring strain of E. coli is insensitive to the growth inhibitory effects of Lcn2 in vitro. Furthermore, we show that mice rapidly succumb to infection by an iroA-harboring strain of E. coli but not its wild-type counterpart, and that this increased virulence depends on evasion of host Lcn2. Our findings indicate that the iroA gene cluster allows bacteria to evade this component of the innate immune system, rejuvenating their Ent-mediated iron-acquisition pathway and playing an important role in their virulence.bacterial pathogens ͉ host defense ͉ innate immunity ͉ iron ͉ siderophores

Systemic anthrax, caused by inhalation or ingestion of Bacillus anthracis spores, is characterized by rapid microbial growth stages that require iron. Tightly bound and highly regulated in a mammalian host, iron is scarce during an infection. To scavenge iron from its environment, B. anthracis synthesizes by independent pathways two small molecules, the siderophores bacillibactin (BB) and petrobactin (PB). Despite the great efficiency of BB at chelating iron, PB may be the only siderophore necessary to ensure full virulence of the pathogen. In the present work, we show that BB is specifically bound by siderocalin, a recently discovered innate immune protein that is part of an antibacterial iron-depletion defense. In contrast, neither PB nor its ferric complex is bound by siderocalin. Although BB incorporates the common 2,3-dihydroxybenzoyl iron-chelating subunit, PB is novel in that it incorporates the very unusual 3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl chelating subunit. This structural variation results in a large change in the shape of both the iron complex and the free siderophore that precludes siderocalin binding, a stealthy evasion of the immune system. Our results indicate that the blockade of bacterial siderophore-mediated iron acquisition by siderocalin is not restricted to enteric pathogenic organisms and may be a general defense mechanism against several different bacterial species. Significantly, to evade this innate immune response, B. anthracis produces PB, which plays a key role in virulence of the organism. This analysis argues for antianthrax strategies targeting siderophore synthesis and uptake.bacillibactin ͉ Bacillus anthracis ͉ petrobactin ͉ siderocalin

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The threat of a dirty bomb or other major radiological contamination presents a danger of largescale radiation exposure of the population. Because major components of such contamination are likely to be actinides, actinide decorporation treatments that will reduce radiation exposure must be a priority. Current therapies for the treatment of radionuclide contamination are limited and extensive efforts must be dedicated to the development of therapeutic, orally bioavailable, actinide chelators for emergency medical use. Using a biomimetic approach based on the similar biochemical properties of plutonium(IV) and iron(III), siderophore-inspired multidentate hydroxypyridonate ligands have been designed and are unrivaled in terms of actinide-affinity, selectivity and efficiency. A perspective on the preclinical development of two hydroxypyridonate actinide decorporation agents, 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) and 5-LIO(Me-3,2-HOPO), is presented. The chemical syntheses of both candidate compounds have been optimized for scale-up. Baseline preparation and analytical methods suitable for manufacturing large amounts have been established. Both ligands show much higher actinide-removal efficacy than the currently approved agent, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), with different selectivity for the tested isotopes of plutonium, americium, uranium and neptunium. No toxicity is observed in cells derived from three different human tissue sources treated in vitro up to ligand concentrations of 1 mM, and both ligands were well tolerated in rats when orally administered daily at high doses (> 100 μmol kg −1 day −1 ) over 28 days under good laboratory practice (GLP) guidelines. Both compounds are on an accelerated development pathway towards clinical use.

for heavier actinides, reflecting increased energy degeneracy driven covalency and concomitant orbital mixing between the 5f 24 orbitals of the An ions and the π orbitals of the ligand. Notably, the ability of this ligand to either accept or donate electron 25 density as needed from its pyridine rings is found to be key to its extraordinary stability across the actinide series. ■ INTRODUCTION27 Radiological contamination incidents can result in widespread 28 radiation exposure to both local and remote regions. 29 Representing an extreme recent example, the 2011 Fukushima 30 Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident resulted in the dispersal 31 of several radionuclides across a wide area, including portions of 32 the continental U.S.1 Actinide (An) and lanthanide (Ln) fission 33 product species are likely to be major components of such 34 contamination events, and it is therefore necessary to 35 thoroughly understand and study the behavior of these ions 36 in environmental and biological systems. Internal contamination of human populations in the event of 38 a radiological incident, whether accidental or intentional, is of 39 critical concern. Once internalized, An ions transit rapidly 40 throughout the bloodstream and are primarily deposited in the 41 liver and bones (uranium is an exception and preferentially 42 deposits in the kidneys rather than in the liver), from which 43 elimination occurs very slowly. 3,4 Uptake and deposition of 44 these ions present severe health risks due to both their 45 The present work uses density functional theory (DFT) 120 combined with extended X-ray absorption fine structure 121 (EXAFS) measurements to advance our current understanding 122 of An-3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) complexes. Their structure, ther-123 modynamics, electronic structures, and redox properties are 124 investigated across the An series up to Es, with both formally 125 An(III) and An(IV) ions. The similarity of 3,4,3-LI(1,2-126 HOPO) to other biological complexants and the wealth of 127 excellent experimental information on this system ensures that 128 a fundamental understanding of An-3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) 129 complexation will have applications beyond this single ligand, 130 and presents an opportunity to study trends in An-ligand 131 Other than the exceptions described above, the fit model 243 obtained from calculated structures describes the data well 244 (Figure 2). Generally speaking, the EXAFS data are consistent 245 with the HOPO complex structure calculations for the nearest 246 neighbor M(III)−O pair distances with the largest deviation 247 occurring with [Am(HOPO)] − . In addition, the Cf−C/N 248 average bond length differs from calculation, but the calculation 249 also shows a broad distribution width for the 8 bonds in this t1 250 shell. Table 1 compares the EXAFS bond length results to 251 those derived from the DFT calculations for the first two shells. 252 Further details of the methods and results are available in 253 Supporting Information (pp S11−S15). Figure S6 for thermodynamic calculations...

The solution thermodynamics of water soluble complexes formed between Ce(III), Ce(IV), Th(IV) and the octadentate chelating agent 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) were investigated. Several techniques including spectrofluorimetric and automated spectrophotometric titrations were used to overcome the slow spontaneous oxidation of Ce(III) complexes yielding to stability constants of log β110 = 17.4 ± 0.5, log β11-1 = 8.3 ± 0.4 and log β111 = 21.2 ± 0.4 for [Ce(III)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))]−, [Ce(III)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO)(OH)]2− and [Ce(III)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO)H], respectively. Using the spectral properties of the hydroxypyridinonate chelator in ligand competition titrations against nitrilotriacetic acid, the stability constant log β110 = 41.5 ± 0.5 was determined for [Ce(IV)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))]. Finally, the extraordinarily stable complex [Ce(IV)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))] was used in Th(IV) competition titrations, resulting in a stability constant of log β110 = 40.1 ± 0.5 for [Th(IV)3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))]. These experimental values are in excellent agreement with previous estimates, they are discussed with respect to the ionic radius and oxidation state of each cationic metal and allow predictions on the stability of other actinide complexes including [U(IV)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))], [Np(IV)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))] and [Pu(IV)(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))]. Comparisons with the standard ligand diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) provide a thermodynamic basis for the observed significantly higher efficacy of 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) as an in vivo actinide decorporation agent.

Berkelium (Bk) has been predicted to be the only transplutonium element able to exhibit both +III and +IV oxidation states in solution, but evidence of a stable oxidized Bk chelate has so far remained elusive. Here we describe the stabilization of the heaviest 4+ ion of the periodic table, under mild aqueous conditions, using a siderophore derivative. The resulting Bk(IV) complex exhibits luminescence via sensitization through an intramolecular antenna effect. This neutral Bk(IV) coordination compound is not sequestered by the protein siderocalin-a mammalian metal transporter-in contrast to the negatively charged species obtained with neighbouring trivalent actinides americium, curium and californium (Cf). The corresponding Cf(III)-ligand-protein ternary adduct was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. Combined with theoretical predictions, these data add significant insight to the field of transplutonium chemistry, and may lead to innovative Bk separation and purification processes.

While widely used in bioassays, the spectrofluorimetric method described here uses the antenna effect as a tool to probe the thermodynamic parameters of ligands that sensitize lanthanide luminescence. The Eu3+ coordination chemistry, solution thermodynamic stability and photophysical properties of the spermine-based hydroxypyridonate octadentate chelator 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) are reported. The complex [EuIII(3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO))]- luminesces with a long lifetime (805 μs) and a quantum yield of 7.0% in aqueous solution, at pH 7.4. These remarkable optical properties were exploited to determine the high (and proton-independent) stability of the complex (log β110 = 20.2(2)) and to define the influence of the ligand scaffold on the stability and photophysical properties.