FhuD: Difference between revisions

Unlike other periplasmic ligand binding protein (PLBP), FhuD does not have the characteristic fold of a bilobate domain connected by flexible β-strands at the base of the ligand binding pocket.<ref name="lu"/> This results in FhuD adopting a novel PLBP structure.<ref name="lu"/> As designated by its structure, FhuD binds hydroxamate siderophores into a primarily hydrophobic pocket allowing the assumption that both binding and release do not cause large scale opening/closing.<ref name="la"/> However in the binding pocket, several major ligand binding side chains have been noted in various positions depending on the ligand bound.<ref name="lu"/>,<ref name="la"/> Due to the ability of siderophore binding uptake systems to allow such a diverse array of siderophore bound molecules, new bacterial growth inhibiting agents may be developed.<ref name="lu"/> These agents will be delivered into the bacteria as silent “Trojan Horses” by the bacteria’s own uptake system.<ref name="lu"/>