Characterization of HmuY, a unique heme-binding protein of Tannerella forsythia and Porphyromonas gingivalis as a nomination for pharmaceutical treatment of periodontitis

摘要

Periodontitis, a chronic polymicrobial disease of the gums, affects the soft tissues and bone that support the teeth. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia are the major human bacterial pathogens responsible for periodontitis. They bind to and accumulate on the tooth surface, develop the biofilm matrix and form a periodontal pocket. These pathogenes acquire heme from host hemoproteins using the HmuY hemophore for nutrition and growth. This study will mostly concentrate on the characterization of HmuY as a unique heme acquisition system using of bioinformatic tools to introduce it as a candidate novel drug against periodontal pathogens.There results show that HmuY is a stable protein which is a membrane-associated heme-binding lipoprotein. The unique feature and the crystal structure of heme-bound HmuY reveal the presence of His 134 and His 166 residues. Protein interaction network have displayed that TonB- dependent receptor HmuR is in close relationship with HmuY. In conclusion, we revealed molecular properties of HmuY protein that can be as a putative virulence agent during bacterial infection. These features make it an appropriate candidate for biomedical applications against periodontal pathogens.