Heme rescues a two-component system Leptospira biflexa mutant
2008
Heme's Role in Leptospira biflexa Growth
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Louvel Hélène, Betton Jean-Michel, Picardeau Mathieu
Primary Institution: Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
Hypothesis
How does the Hklep/Rrlep two-component system affect heme metabolism in Leptospira biflexa?
Conclusion
The Hklep/Rrlep regulatory system is essential for the growth of L. biflexa in vitro and regulates the heme biosynthetic pathway.
Supporting Evidence
- The mutants of the two-component system could only grow in media supplemented with heme or its precursors.
- Real-time quantitative PCR indicated that the two-component system might influence the expression of heme biosynthetic genes.
- The Hklep and Rrlep proteins share significant similarity with their counterparts in the pathogenic Leptospira species.
Takeaway
This study found that a specific system in Leptospira bacteria helps them grow by using heme, which is a type of iron source.
Methodology
Transposon mutagenesis was used to create mutant strains, which were then tested for growth in media with and without heme.
Limitations
The precise environmental signals and target genes regulated by the two-component system remain unclear.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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