The Crumbliss group in collaboration with microbiology and bioinformatics groups at the University of Minnesota and Chatham University have shown that the periplasmic iron transport protein FbpABp from the causative agent of whooping cough, Bordetella pertussis, selectively binds both unchelated Fe(III), and native and xeno Fe(III) siderophore complexes. These data support the existence of a continuum between periplasmic binding proteins (PBP) and bacterial transferrins and represents a new paradigm for iron transport in Gram negative pathogenic bacteria.
More details may be found in Biochemistry, 53, 3952 (2014) which is highlighted on the ACS Biochemistry website.
