The anti-bacterial iron-restriction defence mechanisms of egg white; the potential role of three lipocalin-like proteins in resistance against Salmonella

Conference: 11th International Symposium on Biometals (Biometals) Location: Ottawa, CANADA Date: 2018; Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) is the most frequently-detected Salmonella in foodborne outbreaks in the European Union. Among such outbreaks, egg and egg products were identifiedas the most common vehicles of infection. Possibly, the major antibacterial property of egg white is ironrestriction, which results from the presence of the ironbinding protein, ovotransferrin. To circumvent ironrestriction, SE synthesise catecholate siderophores (i.e. enterobactin and salmochelin) that can chelateiron from host iron-binding proteins. Here, we highlight the role of lipocalin-like proteins found in eggwhite that could enhance egg-white iron restriction through sequestration of certain siderophores, includingenterobactin. Indeed, it is now apparent that the egg-white lipocalin, Ex-FABP, can inhibit bacterialgrowth via its siderophore-binding capacity in vitro. However, it remains unclear whether Ex-FABP performssuch a function in egg white or during bird infection. Regarding the two other lipocalins of eggwhite (Cal-c and a-1-glycoprotein), there is currently no evidence to indicate that they sequestersiderophores.