Protective response against with ferric iron receptors HemTR-BauA in a murine sepsis model.

Iron uptake and metabolism pathways are promising targets in vaccine development as an alternative strategy for antibiotics. HemTR, a putative heme receptor of , was expressed and its protectivity against was determined singly or in combination with the siderophore receptor, BauA, in mice. High level of IgG was elicited. There was a delay in mice mortality with reduced bacterial loads in internal organs in the sublethal challenge. Protection was better in the HemTR-BauA group in both lethal and sublethal challenges. Passive transfer of anti-HemTR and anti-BauA partially protected mice against infection. HemTR in combination with other iron receptors could contribute to the development of protective vaccines against .