What is the Aerobactin system?

Aerobactin is a bacterial iron chelating agent (siderophore) found in E. coli. coli to sequester iron in iron-poor environments such as the urinary tract. Aerobactin is biosynthesized by the oxidation of lysine, catalyzed by the enzyme aerobactin synthase, which is then coupled to citric acid.

What is ferric Enterobactin?

Enterobactin is a catechol-containing siderophore produced by E. coli. Under iron deprivation conditions, E. coli synthesizes these low molecular weight compounds, which bind ferric ions with high affinity and which are used to supply iron for metabolic pathways.

Is Enterobactin toxic?

Pathogenic bacteria can steal iron from other living organisms using this mechanism, even though the concentration of iron is kept extremely low due to the toxicity of free iron….Enterobactin.

Why Enterobactin is a so effective at binding Fe III?

Enterobactin is predisposed for iron binding, with three catecholate units attached to a serine-trilactone scaffold through amide linkages, and exhibits a very high affinity for ferric ion (pFe = 34.3). The metabolism of this powerful iron chelator is tightly controlled by the Fur (Fe uptake regulation) protein.

Which element is transported by siderophores?

Siderophores (Greek: “iron carrier”) are small, high-affinity iron-chelating compounds that are secreted by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi and serve primarily to transport iron across cell membranes, although a widening range of siderophore functions is now being appreciated.

How are siderophores involved in iron transport?

Siderophores are low-molecular-weight molecules that chelate iron with a very high and specific affinity. Many bacteria, both G + and G −, produce and secrete siderophores to scavenge iron from the extracellular environment. Siderophore–iron complexes are transported into the cell through receptors in the membrane.

Is Enterobactin a siderophore?

Enterobactin is an archetypical siderophore with exceptionally high affinity for Fe3+ (Ka = 1052)9. Many Gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli10, produce and take up this siderophore.

Why is Enterobactin important?

Enterobactin can extract iron even from the air. Pathogenic bacteria can steal iron from other living organisms using this mechanism, even though the concentration of iron is kept extremely low due to the toxicity of free iron.

What do siderophores do?

Siderophores are small molecular iron chelators that are produced by microbes and whose most notable function is to sequester iron from the host and provide this essential metal nutrient to microbes.

Where are siderophores located?

Siderophores are a structurally diverse class of natural products commonly found in bacteria and fungi that chelate iron(III). Siderophores typically have oxygen-rich chelating groups such as catecholates, hydroxamates or α-hydroxycarboxylates.

How do Bacteriocins work?

Bacteriocins are proteins or peptides synthesized by the ribosomal. When released by bacteriocin-producing bacteria, it can become combined with the corresponding receptor on the surface of the sensitive bacteria to kill the bacteria.