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Iron Acquisition Strategies Employed By Staphylococcus Lugdunensis, Jeremy R. Brozyna

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Iron is crucial for many cellular processes including DNA synthesis and respiration. The majority of iron in mammals is in heme within hemoproteins, inside cells, or transported through circulation by the glycoprotein transferrin, which constitutes the greatest iron source in serum. Limiting iron availability is an important facet of nutritional immunity to help prevent infection.

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a human skin commensal and opportunistic pathogen capable of causing a variety of infections, including particularly aggressive endocarditis. It is an emerging pathogen with elevated virulence compared to other species of coagulase-negative staphylococci. The versatility of S. lugdunensis to infect multiple niches …

Iron Acquisition Mechanisms And Their Role In Staphylococcus Aureus Survival And Virulence, Jessica R. Sheldon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

To microbes and humans alike, iron is both essential, and potentially toxic, where homeostatic concentrations must be stringently maintained. Within the iron-restricted host, the survival and proliferation of microbial invaders is contingent upon exploiting the host iron pool. Staphylococcus aureus is a formidable pathogen, whose success is partly attributable to its multiple, and often redundant mechanisms for acquiring iron. A decade of research in staphylococcal iron acquisition has identified several uptake mechanisms, including, but not limited to, the elaboration of high-affinity iron scavenging siderophores (staphyloferrins A (SA) and B (SB)) and the expression of an iron-regulated surface determinant (Isd) pathway …