Elucidating iron transport mechanisms in tuberculosis bug identifies new TB drug targets

The export of unbound small molecular weight high-affinity iron binding molecules, siderophores, and the subsequent internalization of their iron bound form is the center stage of TB bacilli survival within the host. This report identifies that the two genes which were previously believed as importers were indeed working, in coherence with another binding protein, as an exporter-importer system. This study further highlights that siderophores are actively exported outside the mycobacterial cell and do not passively diffuse as previously understood. These three actively interacting genes augment the iron uptake and provide a feedback for export of only the non-iron bound siderophores and exclusive import of the iron bound forms. The authors of this study believe that the model that has emerged from this study will be a boost to the global efforts to understand the survival strategies of the pathogen and in the process provide a crucial foothold to tame this one of the most deadly pathogen.

This report promises to contribute to the understanding of mycobacterial adaptability and survival mechanisms in highly intricate and fiercely competitive host environments and the role of iron regulatory networks therein.

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Aisha Farhana
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Citation: Farhana A, Kumar S, Rathore SS, Ghosh PC, Ehtesham NZ, et al. (2008) Mechanistic Insights into a Novel Exporter-Importer System of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Unravel Its Role in Trafficking of Iron. PLoS ONE 3(5): e2087. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002087

PLEASE ADD THE LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL live from May 7): http://www.plosone.org/doi/pone.0002087

PRESS-ONLY PREVIEW: http://www.plos.org/press/pone-03-05-hasnain.pdf

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