Open AccessEffect of ferric and ferrous iron chelators on growth of Bacteroides fragilis under anaerobic conditions
Author(s) -
Rocha Edson R.,
Uzeda Milton,
Brock Jeremy H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1991.tb04567.x
Subject(s) - bacteroides fragilis , ferrous , chemistry , ferric , transferrin , anaerobic exercise , chelation , biochemistry , deferoxamine , siderophore , protoporphyrin , ferric iron , inorganic chemistry , biology , organic chemistry , physiology , porphyrin , gene , antibiotics
Growth of Bacteroides fragilis under anaerobic conditions in the presence of either haemin or protoporphyrin IX was inhibited by the ferrous iron chelator bipyridyl. The ferric‐iron chelator desferrioxamine inhibited growth in the presence of protoporphyrin but not haemin, suggesting that even under anaerobic conditions Fe 3+ is involved in uptake of non‐haem iron, which is required in the absence of haemin. However, the ferric iron chelators 1,2‐dimethyl‐3‐hydroxy‐pyrid‐4‐one (L1) and pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrozone (PIH) were only weakly inhibitory. Apotransferrin, which also binds Fe 3+ , inhibited growth, but this was not simply due to binding of iron in the medium, as under the reducing conditions present, transferrin was unable to bind iron. This study suggests that even under anaerobic conditions, uptake of non‐haem iron by B. fragilis may involve conversion of Fe 2+ to Fe 3+ .