Influence of iron depletion on growth kinetics, siderophore production, and protein expression of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract Growth rates, siderophore secretion, and bacterial proteins of two clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were studied over 72 h of growth in iron-supplemented and iron-restricted chemically defined media. Under iron restriction the growth rates were decreased to different extents depending on the strain. Production of siderophore was detected in the mid-exponential and stationary phases of growth. The expression of iron-regulated proteins of 81, 23, and 17 kDa was time-dependent, associated with the same stage of growth, and might be involved in siderophore efficiency.     

溶藻弧菌铁载体合成及外膜蛋白表达的研究

初步研究了海洋动物病原菌溶藻弧菌的铁摄取机制。溶藻弧菌能够在高浓度铁螯合剂2-2二联吡啶的培养基中存活。在限铁环境中,溶藻弧菌生长受到抑制,补加铁可以消除这种抑制作用。通过铁载体定量检测,发现分离于发病鱼体的溶藻弧菌MVP01产铁载体量大于分离于海水的菌株No·1·1587。互补实验证明溶藻弧菌的铁载体粗提物能够被铁载体合成缺陷的大肠杆菌突变株AN93利用。在铁限制培养环境中,溶藻弧菌合成了约80kD铁调控外膜蛋白。铁摄取系统在溶藻弧菌的生存和致病性方面,都有重要的作用。     

细菌内依赖TonB的外膜铁转运体的研究进展

铁是细菌所必需的微量营养元素,但由于易被氧化溶解性低,生物体的利用率大大降低。细菌在进化过程中形成多种策略来吸收环境中低浓度的铁,不同类型铁的吸收通过外膜上依赖TonB的转运体(TonB-dependent transporters,TBDTs)完成,TBDTs结合不同形式的铁复合物,通过内膜上的TonB-ExbB-ExbD复合物提供能量完成转运,对其机制的研究一直是微生物基础生命活动研究中的热点问题。近年来新鉴定了一些TBDTs的结构,并对其功能和转运机制有了更深入的研究,对此进行了综述,不仅有助于进一步揭示细菌的铁转运机制,而且有助于寻找新的靶位点以开发新的治疗药物。     

镍胁迫下产铁载体细菌对花生的促生性

【目的】挖掘镍耐受性强、产铁载体活性高的植物根际促生细菌,研究镍胁迫下产铁载体细菌对花生的促生作用及其对花生吸收镍的影响。【方法】利用CAS(Chrome azurol S)培养基对花生根际产铁载体细菌定性筛选及定量测试获得产铁载体能力强的菌株,16S r RNA基因相似性及系统进化分析鉴定产铁载体细菌,并用含Ni~(2+)牛肉膏蛋白胨培养基测试细菌对Ni的耐受性;通过花生盆栽实验,测试花生的株高、根长、生物量、氮磷钾含量及镍含量来分析镍胁迫下产铁载体细菌对花生的影响。【结果】从花生根际分离筛选产铁载体芽孢杆菌5株,其中HSGJ1产铁载体能力最强,培养2 d后产156.56 mg/L的铁载体。HSGJ1对Ni~(2+)具有较强的耐受性,最小致死浓度为150 mg/L。在50、100 mg/kg的Ni~(2+)盆栽基质中,HSGJ1能够有效地促进花生的生长、增加花生的生物量及氮磷钾含量,并使花生根部和地上部分的镍含量降低。【结论】产铁载体芽孢杆菌HSGJ1是一株优良的植物根际促生细菌,可应用于镍污染农耕土壤的作物种植中,以提高作物在镍胁迫下的抗逆性,降低作物对镍的富集量,具有较好的应用价值。     

Iron acquisition mechanisms of the Burkholderia cepacia complex

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is comprised of at least 10 closely related species of Gram-negative proteobacteria that are associated with infections in certain groups of immunocompromised individuals, particularly those with cystic fibrosis. Infections in humans tend to occur in the lungs, which present an iron-restricted environment to a prospective pathogen, and accordingly members of the Bcc appear to possess efficient mechanisms for iron capture. These bacteria specify up to four different types of siderophore (ornibactin, pyochelin, cepabactin and cepaciachelin) that employ the full repertoire of iron-binding groups present in most naturally occurring siderophores. Members of the Bcc are also capable of utilising some exogenous siderophores that they are not able to synthesise. In addition to siderophore-mediated mechanisms of iron uptake, the Bcc possess mechanisms for acquiring iron from haem and from ferritin. The Bcc therefore appear to be well-equipped for life in an iron-poor environment. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Natural roles of nonribosomal peptide metabolites in fungi

Over 90 years have passed since Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin, the first recognized, naturally occurring antibiotic. Penicillin is a representative of a group of metabolites produced by large multienzyme complexes [nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs)] in a ribosome-independent fashion. Nonribosomal peptides (NRPs) are structurally diverse metabolites produced almost exclusively by bacteria and fungi. NRPs include bioactive compounds useful for pharmaceutical applications (e.g., antibiotics, antitumor compounds, and immunosuppressants) and therefore much progress has been made in our understanding of medically relevant characteristics of NRPs in the past decades. Natural roles of NRP metabolites, on the other hand, have been largely ignored, and much less is known about the biological/physiological significance of NRPs under natural settings. In the present review, we summarize past and current work on natural functions of NRPs in their fungal producers, with a focus on virulence, development, and stress tolerance, and highlight the diverse roles these small peptide metabolites play. Some NRPs are involved in interactions with host organisms, others work in fungus-environment interfaces, and still others are crucial for vegetative and reproductive development of the producing fungi.     

Role of siderophore in iron uptake in cowpea Rhizobium GN1 (peanut isolate): Possible involvement of iron repressible outer membrane proteins

Abstract Siderophore produced by cowpea Rhizobium GN1 (Peanut isolate) was shown to be involved in iron uptake by this organism. Siderophore enhanced iron uptake in iron-starved cells. SDS-PAGE analysis of the outer membrane proteins showed two iron repressible outer membrane proteins with approximate molecular mass of 80 kDa and 76 kDa. A siderophore non-producing mutant, which was unable to grow on a medium containing synthetic iron chelators unless and until iron was added exogenously in the medium, could use siderophore of the wild-type for iron uptake indicating that the receptor for Fe-siderophore complex was intact in the mutant.