Open AccessIron depletion and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
Author(s) -
Trivier D.,
Courcol R.J.
Publication year - 1996
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.1574-6968.1996.tb08373.x
Subject(s) - virulence , staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcus epidermidis , limiting , bacteria , biology , biochemistry , gene , genetics , mechanical engineering , engineering
Staphylococcus aureus is able to grow in the presence of extremely low iron concentrations (0.04 μM). In iron‐limiting conditions, this species develops alternative metabolic strategies such as highly efficient iron‐uptake mechanisms which are only partially shared with S. epidermidis . Here we summarize the mechanisms induced by iron starvation in S. aureus in order to elucidate the virulence characteristics of this bacterium.