Dynamic role of plasma ferritin during Pseudomonas infection: Insights from the limulus

Abstract

The importance of plasma ferritin has not been explored across phyla. DNA nicking assay shows that regulation of plasma iron may limit free radical level during infection. Plasma ferritin was purified, characterized and its corresponding cDNA sequences (CrFer-H1 and a??H2) cloned. During infection, no hypoferraemia occurred in the limulus. Pseudomonas can degrade ferritin but does not alter plasma redox potential and pH. Regulation of ferritin during infection was investigated. Plasma ferritin can evade degradation mediated by Pseudomonas and it switches from a DNA-binding to a non-DNA-binding conformer. Plasma ferritin may play dual roles: (i) pathogen evasion and (ii) host protection after nuclear translocation.