Siderophore-mediated iron uptake in mycobacteria

Raghu, B and Raghupati Sarma, G and Venkatesan, P (1993) Siderophore-mediated iron uptake in mycobacteria. Medical Science Research , 21. pp. 773-774.

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Abstract

Iron is vital for the survival and proliferation of microorganisms, while mycobacteria also require this element for their survival within the host. To meet the demand for iron, mycobacteria synthesise and utilise specific high-affinity iron-binding compounds (siderophores) which help them grow in the’ iron-restricted conditions of the host [1, 2] and also participate in the uptake of iron across the thick lipid cell wall [3]. Two types of siderophores are produced by mycobacteria [3]. Exochelin occurs extracellularly to act as a scavenger, and mycobactin occurs on the cell wall to act as a transporter. Specific membrane proteins are also produced by several mycobacteria for the transport of siderophore-ferric iron complexes [4]. Recent work [5] demonstrated that the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains was increased with increasing concentrations of iron in the medium and that the concentrations of exochelins and mycobactins, which are highest under iron-deficient conditions, registered marked decreases. It does not follow, however, that exochelins are involved in the uptake of iron by mycobacteria. We have therefore studied the uptake of iron by four strains of mycobacteria in the absence and in the presence of exochelins released by these strains.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Exochelin, iron uptake, mycobacteria, siderophore
Subjects: Tuberculosis > Laboratory Research > Biochemical
Divisions: Basic Science Research > Biochemistry
Depositing User: Dr. Rathinasabapati R
Date Deposited: 20 Sep 2013 11:03
Last Modified: 14 Mar 2016 06:41
URI: http://eprints.nirt.res.in/id/eprint/346

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