FIGURE 2: Schematic models of haem piracy from haemoglobin by the different Gram positive pathogens described herein. (A) In C. diphtheriae, two groups of surface exposed proteins bind Hb and Hb:Hp. HtaA is able to bind Hb and the Hb: Hp complex while HtaB is responsible for binding free haem, meanwhile ChtA/ChtC proteins bind directly only to the Hb: Hp complex. Both groups of proteins transfer haem to HmuT, the lipoprotein component of the ABC transporter for import through the lipid bilayer. (B) In S. aureus, surface exposed proteins IsdB or HarA/IsdH bind haemoglobin at the cell surface and strip it's haem. The haem can them be passed to any of the proteins IsA, IsdC and IsdE and unidirectional transfer from IsaA – IsdC – IsdE leads to transport to the cytoplasm through the IsdDEF ABC transporter for transport into the cytoplasm. (C) At the surface of S. pyogenes, Shp extracts haem from Hb and Shr is able to obtain haem from both Hb and the Hb:Hp complex. These proteins transfer haem to lipoprotein SiaA for transport into the cell via SiaABC.