EF-hand protein, EfhP, specifically binds Ca and mediates Ca regulation of virulence in a human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Calcium (Ca) is well known as a second messenger in eukaryotes, where Ca signaling controls life-sustaining cellular processes. Although bacteria produce the components required for Ca signaling, little is known about the mechanisms of bacterial Ca signaling. Previously, we have identified a putative Ca-binding protein EfhP (PA4107) with two canonical EF-hand motifs and reported that EfhP mediates Ca regulation of virulence factors production and infectivity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a human pathogen causing life-threatening infections.