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The ins and outs of bacterial iron metabolism
Author(s) -
Frawley Elaine R.,
Fang Ferric C.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.12709
Subject(s) - biology , bacteria , salmonella enterica , context (archaeology) , efflux , microbiology and biotechnology , siderophore , reactive oxygen species , microbial metabolism , metabolism , intracellular , intracellular parasite , oxidative stress , immune system , salmonella , biochemistry , immunology , paleontology , genetics
Summary Iron is a critical nutrient for the growth and survival of most bacterial species. Accordingly, much attention has been paid to the mechanisms by which host organisms sequester iron from invading bacteria and how bacteria acquire iron from their environment. However, under oxidative stress conditions such as those encountered within phagocytic cells during the host immune response, iron is released from proteins and can act as a catalyst for Fenton chemistry to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. The transitory efflux of free intracellular iron may be beneficial to bacteria under such conditions. The recent discovery of putative iron efflux transporters in S almonella enterica serovar T yphimurium is discussed in the context of cellular iron homeostasis.