Specificity of siderophore receptors in membrane vesicles of Bacillus megaterium

Active transport of ferric schizokinen in Anabaena sp

The cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain ATCC 27898 was found to utilize the siderophore schizokinen to accumulate iron from the environment. This organism had previously been shown to produce schizokinen under low-iron conditions, and we observed that the iron-transport capability is also increased in response to iron limitation. Uptake activity was specific for ferric schizokinen displayed kinetics typical of a protein-mediated process with an apparent Km of 0.04 microM and saturation at high concentrations of substrate. Light-driven transport was blocked by uncouplers and by ATPase inhibitors. Transport in dark-adapted cells was additionally blocked by inhibitors of respiration. We conclude that ATP serves as an energy source for the cellular uptake of ferric schizokinen.

Binding of metals to cell envelopes of Escherichia coli K-12

As representative of gram-negative bacteria, the isolated and purified envelopes of an Escherichia coli K-12 strain were used to determine metal-binding capacity. The envelopes were suspended in 5 mM metal solutions for 10 min and 23 degrees C, separated and washed by centrifugation, and analyzed for metal by either atomic absorption or X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Of 32 metals tested, large amounts (> 0.9 mumol/mg [dry weight]) of Hf and Os, intermediate amounts (0.1 to 0.4 mumol/mg [dry weight]) of Pb, Zn, Zr, Fe III, Mn, Mo, Mg, Co, and Ce IV, and small amounts (< 0.1 mumol/mg [dry weight]) of Na, K, Rb, Ca, Sr, Cu, Sc, La, Pr, Sm, U, Fe II, Ru, Ni, Hg, Pt, Pd, Au, and In were detected Li and V were not bound to the envelopes. Electron microscopy of unstained, thin-sectioned material provided an electron-scattering profile for localizing the bound metal within the envelope. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis of thin sections detected all metals in single envelope vesicles. These data suggest that most metal deposition occurred at the polar head group regions of the constituent membranes or along the peptidoglycan layer. No leaching of envelope components was detected by monitoring radioactive probes within the lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan layers during metal uptake experiments, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins from metal-loaded envelopes, or protein and carbohydrate determinations on the wash fluids. These results suggest that membrane integrity was not disturbed under these ionic conditions.

Ferrisiderophore reductase activity in Bacillus megaterium

The release of iron from ferrisiderophores (microbial ferric-chelating iron transport cofactors) by cell-free extracts of Bacillus megaterium was demonstrated. Reductive transfer of iron from ferrisiderophores to the ferrous-chelating agent ferrozine was measured spectrophotometrically. This ferrisiderophore reductase activity (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate:ferrisiderophore oxidoreductase) was associated primarily with the cell soluble rather than particulate (membrane) fraction. Ferrisiderophore reductase was inhibited by oxygen and required the addition of a reductant (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate was most effective) for maximal activity. The activity was destroyed by both heat and protease treatments and was inhibited by iodoacetamide treatment. Ferrisiderophore reductase activity for several microbial ferrisiderophores was measured; highest activity was displayed for ferrischizokinen, the ferrisiderophore produced by this organism. The Km and Vmax values of the reductase for ferrischizokinen were 2.5 x 10(-4) M and 35.7 nmol/min per mg of the ferrisiderophore reductase reaction. Preliminary fractionation of the cell soluble material by gel filtration chromatography resulted in the demonstration of ferrisiderophore reductase activity in three peaks of different molecular weight. Ferrisiderophore reductase probably mediates entrance of iron into cellular metabolism.