The Yersinia high-pathogenicity island: an iron-uptake island

Highly pathogenic Yersinia carry a pathogenicity island termed high-pathoge nicity island (HPI). The Yersinia HPI comprises genes involved in the synth esis oi the siderophore yersiniabactin and can thus be regarded as an iron- uptake island. A unique characteristic of the HPI is its wide distribution among different enterobacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Citrob acter and Salmonella. Other types of iron-uptake systems are also carried b y different pathogenicity islands in enterobacteria. (C) 2001 Editions scie ntifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.