EfeUOB (YcdNOB) is a tripartite, acid‐induced and CpxAR‐regulated, low‐pH Fe2+ transporter that is cryptic in Escherichia coli K‐12 but functional in E. coli O157:H7
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Summary: Escherichia coli possesses iron transporters specific for either Fe 2+ or Fe 3+. Although Fe 2+ is far more soluble than Fe 3+, it rapidly oxidizes aerobically at pH ≥ 7. Thus, FeoAB, the major Fe 2+ transporter of E. coli, operates anaerobically. However, Fe 2+ remains stable aerobically under acidic conditions, although a low‐pH Fe 2+ importer has not been previously identified. Here we show that ycdNOB (efeUOB) specifies the first such transporter. efeUOB is repressed at high pH by CpxAR, and is Fe 2+–Fur repressed. EfeU is homologous to the high‐affinity iron permease, Ftr1p, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other fungi. EfeO is periplasmic with a cupredoxin N‐terminal domain; EfeB is also periplasmic and is haem peroxidase‐like. All three Efe proteins are required for Efe function. The efeU gene of E. coli K‐12 is cryptic due to a frameshift mutation – repair of the single‐base‐pair deletion generates a functional EfeUOB system. In contrast, the efeUOB operon of the enterohaemorrhagic strain, O157:H7, lacks any frameshift and is functional. A ‘wild‐type’ K‐12 strain bearing a functional EfeUOB displays a major growth advantage under aerobic, low‐pH, low‐iron conditions when a competing metal is provided. 55 Fe transport assays confirm the ferrous iron specificity of EfeUOB.
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Alternative ferrous Fe import systems have been identified, including ZupT, YfeABCD, FutABC and EfeUOB.
“To date, alternative ferrous Fe import systems have been identified, including ZupT, YfeABCD, FutABC and EfeUOB 71-76 .”
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- Authors
- Cao, J., Woodhall, M. R., Alvarez, J., Cartron, M. L., & Andrews, S. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Reading (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Andrews, Simon C.
- Venue
- Molecular Microbiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-06-11
- Volume
- 65
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 857-875
- ISSN
- 0950-382X (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2958
- OpenAlex
- W2163764373
- Cited by
- 163
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 4.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Molecular Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Escherichia coli research studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Keywords
- ferrous iron transport, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Escherichia coli K-12, Fur repressor, cupredoxins, frameshift mutation, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
- MeSH terms
- Aerobiosis, Anaerobiosis, Bacterial Proteins, Base Sequence, Biological Transport, Copper, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Iron, Molecular Sequence Data, Operon, Oxygen, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Protein Kinases, Repressor Proteins, Escherichia coli O157, Cation Transport Proteins, Escherichia coli Proteins, Escherichia coli K12
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