Premium
Iron Acquisition by Bacterial Pathogens: Beyond Tris‐Catecholate Complexes
Author(s) -
Zhang Yifan,
Sen Sambuddha,
Giedroc David P.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.201900778
Subject(s) - siderophore , enzyme , biology , host (biology) , microbial metabolism , pathogen , bacteria , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , ecology , gene , genetics
Sequestration of the essential nutrient iron from bacterial invaders that colonize the vertebrate host is a central feature of nutritional immunity and the “fight over transition metals” at the host‐pathogen interface. The iron quota for many bacterial pathogens is large, as iron enzymes often make up a significant share of the metalloproteome. Iron enzymes play critical roles in respiration, energy metabolism, and other cellular processes by catalyzing a wide range of oxidation‐reduction, electron transfer, and oxygen activation reactions. In this Concept article, we discuss recent insights into the diverse ways that bacterial pathogens acquire this essential nutrient, beyond the well‐characterized tris‐catecholate Fe III complexes, in competition and cooperation with significant host efforts to cripple these processes. We also discuss pathogen strategies to adapt their metabolism to less‐than‐optimal iron concentrations, and briefly speculate on what might be an integrated adaptive response to the concurrent limitation of both iron and zinc in the infected host.