Molecular Characterization of the Iron-Hydroxamate Uptake System in Staphylococcus aureus

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Abstract
To investigate iron uptake, a chromosomal locus containing three consecutive open reading frames, designated fhuC , fhuB , and fhuD , was identified in Staphylococcus aureus . Whereas the fhuC gene encodes an ATP-binding protein, fhuB and fhuD code for ferrichrome permeases and thus resemble an ATP-binding cassette transporter. A fhuB knockout mutant showed impaired uptake of iron bound to the siderophores but not of ferric chloride, suggesting that this operon is specific for siderophore-mediated iron uptake.