New Protein Discovery May Have Implications For Treating Deadly E. Coli Infection

Queen’s researchers may have opened the door to more effective treatment of a deadly strain of the E. coli bacteria with the discovery of a previously unknown protein. A team led by biochemistry researcher Zongchao Jia and graduate student Michael Suits has identified a protein that allows the bacterial strain known as E. coli 0157:H7 to obtain the iron it needs for survival in the body. Iron is a catalyst for bacterial growth, so when a human body detects bacterial invasion, it naturally produces proteins that bind tightly to and restrict iron to limit bacterial growth. In response, bacteria have evolved other methods to acquire iron including detecting and using human heme within proteins such as hemoglobin that transports oxygen from our lungs. The newly discovered protein breaks down heme, releasing the iron atom stored there for use by the deadly bacteria.