Structural properties of a haemophore facilitate targeted elimination of the pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis

Abstract

The pathogenic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis causes periodontal disease and depends on porphyrin from host sources. Here the authors show that the P. gingivalis haem uptake system protein A (HusA) mediates the uptake of exogenous porphyrin, present its solution NMR structure and show how HusA can be exploited as a drug target.