Digest: Cooperators get competitive in mixed company

Microbial populations commonly reside in environments that are awash with iron, which is essential for their growth. However, iron is rarely found in an accessible form. In order to mine bioavailable iron from their environment, microbes produce a wide variety of iron-binding compounds called siderophores (Wandersman and Delepelaire 2004). When excreted into the surrounding environment, these molecules are extremely effective at targeting and binding iron. Once bound, iron-siderophore complexes are readily recognized and transported into any cell bearing specific outer membrane receptors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved