Iron transport in Streptomyces pilosus mediated by ferrichrome siderophores, rhodotorulic acid, and enantio-rhodotorulic acid

Suppression of tomato wilt by cell-free supernatants of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from wild cacao from the Colombian Amazon

Tomato vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) is one of the most limiting diseases of this crop. The use of fungicides and varieties resistant to the pathogen has not provided adequate control of the disease. In this study, siderophore-producing bacteria isolated from wild cocoa trees from the Colombian Amazon were characterized to identify prominent strategies for plant protection. The isolates were taxonomically classified into five different genera. Eight of the fourteen were identified as bacteria of the Acinetobacter baumannii complex. Isolates CBIO024, CBIO086, CBIO117, CBIO123, and CBIO159 belonging to this complex showed the highest efficiency in siderophore synthesis, producing these molecules in a range of 91-129 µmol/L deferoxamine mesylate equivalents. A reduction in disease severity of up to 45% was obtained when plants were pretreated with CBIO117 siderophore-rich cell-free supernatant (SodSid). Regarding the mechanism of action that caused antagonistic activity against Fol, it was found that plants infected only with Fol and plants pretreated with SodSid CBIO117 and infected with Fol showed higher levels of PR1 and ERF1 gene expression than control plants. In contrast, MYC2 gene expression was not induced by the SodSid CBIO117 application. However, it was upregulated in plants infected with Fol and plants pretreated with SodSid CBIO117 and infected with the pathogen. In addition to the disease suppression exerted by SodSid CBIO117, the results suggest that the mechanism underlying this effect is related to an induction of systemic defense through the salicylic acid, ethylene, and priming defense via the jasmonic acid pathway.

Nocardamine-Dependent Iron Uptake in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Exclusive Involvement of the FoxA Outer Membrane Transporter

Iron is a key nutrient for almost all living organisms. Paradoxically, it is poorly soluble and consequently poorly bioavailable. Bacteria have thus developed multiple strategies to access this metal. One of the most common consists of the use of siderophores, small compounds that chelate ferric iron with very high affinity. Many bacteria are able to produce their own siderophores or use those produced by other microorganisms (exosiderophores) in a piracy strategy. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces two siderophores, pyoverdine and pyochelin, and is also able to use a large panel of exosiderophores. We investigated the ability of P. aeruginosa to use nocardamine (NOCA) and ferrioxamine B (DFOB) as exosiderophores under iron-limited planktonic growth conditions. Proteomic and RT-qPCR approaches showed induction of the transcription and expression of the outer membrane transporter FoxA in the presence of NOCA or DFOB in the bacterial environment. Expression of the proteins of the heme- or pyoverdine- and pyochelin-dependent iron uptake pathways was not affected by the presence of these two tris-hydroxamate siderophores. ⁵⁵Fe uptake assays using foxA mutants showed ferri-NOCA to be exclusively transported by FoxA, whereas ferri-DFOB was transported by FoxA and at least one other unidentified transporter. The crystal structure of FoxA complexed with NOCA-Fe revealed very similar siderophore binding sites between NOCA-Fe and DFOB-Fe. We discuss iron uptake by hydroxamate exosiderophores in P. aeruginosa cells in light of these results.

Siderophore Detection Using Chrome Azurol S and Cross-Feeding Assays

More than 500 siderophores that bind ferric iron have been characterized and grouped by type based on their chemical structure. The chrome azurol S (CAS) assay is a universal colorimetric method that detects siderophores independent of their structure. In this assay, siderophores scavenge iron from an Fe-CAS-hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide complex, and subsequent release of the CAS dye results in a color change from blue to orange. Solution-based experiments with CAS result in a quantitative measure of siderophore production, while an observable color change on CAS agar plates can be performed for qualitative detection of siderophores. Cross-feeding assays are another useful method to detect and characterize siderophores produced by bacteria. Under iron-limiting conditions, cross-feeding assays test the ability of an indicator strain to grow when supplied with a specific siderophore (from a test strain) to which it has a cognate receptor required for import into the cell. The cross-feeding assay can be tested with a variety of wild-type strains, siderophore biosynthesis mutants, and siderophore receptor mutants.

Diverging roles of bacterial siderophores during infection

Siderophores are low molecular weight, high affinity iron chelating molecules that are essential virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. Whereas the chemical structure of siderophores is extremely variable, the function of siderophores has been narrowly defined as the chelation and delivery of iron to bacteria for proliferation. The discovery of the host protein Lipocalin 2, capable of specifically sequestering the siderophore Enterobactin but not its glycosylated-derivative Salmochelin, indicated that diversity in structure could be an immune evasion mechanism that provides functional redundancy during infection. However, there is growing evidence that siderophores are specialized in their iron-acquisition functions, can perturb iron homeostasis in their hosts, and even bind non-iron metals to promote bacterial fitness. The combination of siderophores produced by a pathogen can enable inter-bacterial competition, modulate host cellular pathways, and determine the bacterial "replicative niche" during infection. This review will examine both classical and novel functions of siderophores to address the concept that siderophores are non-redundant virulence factors used to enhance bacterial pathogenesis.

Red soils harbor diverse culturable actinomycetes that are promising sources of novel secondary metabolites

Red soils, which are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of southern China, are characterized by low organic carbon, high content of iron oxides, and acidity and, hence, are likely to be ideal habitats for acidophilic actinomycetes. However, the diversity and biosynthetic potential of actinomycetes in such habitats are underexplored. Here, a total of 600 actinomycete strains were isolated from red soils collected in Jiangxi Province in southeast China. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed a high diversity of the isolates, which were distributed into 26 genera, 10 families, and 7 orders within the class Actinobacteria; these taxa contained at least 49 phylotypes that are likely to represent new species within 15 genera. The isolates showed good physiological potentials for biosynthesis and biocontrol. Chemical screening of 107 semirandomly selected isolates spanning 20 genera revealed the presence of at least 193 secondary metabolites from 52 isolates, of which 125 compounds from 39 isolates of 12 genera were putatively novel. Macrolides, polyethers, diketopiperazines, and siderophores accounted for most of the known compounds. The structures of six novel compounds were elucidated, two of which had a unique skeleton and represented characteristic secondary metabolites of a putative novel Streptomyces phylotype. These results demonstrate that red soils are rich reservoirs for diverse culturable actinomycetes, notably members of the families Streptomycetaceae, Pseudonocardiaceae, and Streptosporangiaceae, with the capacity to synthesize novel bioactive compounds.

Desferrioxamine-cadmium as a 'Trojan horse' for the delivery of Cd to bacteria and fungi

Molecules naturally designed for the acquisition of essential metals can be used as a shuttle to deliver toxic metal ions to target organisms. In this study, we describe for the first time the synthesis of a derivative of cadmium and desferrioxamine B, a bacterial siderophore. The new compound was characterized by elemental analysis, vibrational (infrared and Raman) spectroscopy, mass coupled thermal analyses and X-ray diffraction methods. Studies on the in vitro toxicity toward a fungus and two bacterial strains indicated that the coordination compound is more active against microrganisms than cadmium chloride on a Cd-concentration basis, indicating that desferrioxamine can work as a "Trojan horse" in the delivery of a toxic metal.

Self-assembled polymeric chelate nanoparticles as potential theranostic agents

Improvements in cancer diagnostics and therapy have recently attracted the interest of many different branches of science. This study presents one of the new possible approaches in the diagnostics and therapy of cancer by using polymeric chelates as carriers. Graft copolymers with a backbone containing 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid chelating groups and poly(ethylene oxide) hydrophilic grafts are synthesized and characterized. The polymers assemble and form particles after the addition of a biometal cation, such as iron or copper. The obtained nanoparticles exhibit a hydrodynamic diameter of around 25 nm and a stability of at least several hours, which are counted as essential parameters for biomedical purposes. To prove their biodegradability, a model degradation with deferoxamine is performed and, together with high radiolabeling efficiency with copper-64, their possible use for nuclear medicine purposes is demonstrated.

Novel trihydroxamate-containing peptides: design, synthesis, and metal coordination

Novel trihydroxamate-containing peptides were designed to mimic desferrioxamine (Desferal(R), DFO, a naturally occurring siderophore) but possess distinct conformational restrictions and varied lipophilicity to probe structure vs. metal coordination. The synthesis was performed via fragment condensation of hydroxamate-containing oligopeptides such as Fmoc-Leu- Psi[CON(OBz)]-Phe-Ala-Pro-OH and H-Leu-Psi[CON(OBz)]-Phe-Ala-Pro-OBu(t) (Fmoc: 9-fluor enylmethoxycarbonyl; OBz: benzyl; OBu(t): tert-butyl) either in solution or on a solid support. The metal-binding properties were studied by electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy, and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Similar to the dihydroxamate analogs previously explored [Biopolymers (Peptide Science), 2003, Vol. 71, pp. 489-515], the compounds with three hydroxamates arrayed at 10-atom intervals, i.e., H-[Leu-Psi[CON(OH)]-Phe-Ala-Pro](3)-OH (P1), cyclo[Leu-Psi[CON(OH)]-Phe-Ala-Pro](3) (P2), and H-[Leu-Psi(CONOH)-Phe-Ala-Pro](2)-Leu-NHOH (P7), exhibited high affinities for intramolecular coordination with Fe(III) and Ga(III). As expected, both P1 and P2 showed higher relative Fe(III)-binding affinities than the corresponding dihydroxamate-containing peptide analogs (P11 and P12). Even though both P1 and P2 did not compete with DFO in the relative metal-binding affinity in both solution and gas phases, P1, P2, and DFO exhibited similar relative binding selectivities to 11 different metal ions including Fe(III), Fe(II), Al(III), Ga(III), In(III), Zn(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Gd(III), and Mn(II). Compared to the other metal ions, they had higher relative binding affinities with Fe(III), Fe(II), Al(III), Ga(III), and In(III). The decreased metal-binding affinities of P1 and P2 in comparison with DFO suggested the conformational restrictions of their backbones perturb their three hydroxamate groups from optimal hexadentate orientations for metal coordination. As detected by ESI-MS, P2 was distinguished from both P1 and DFO by solvation of its Ga(III) and Fe(III) complexes (such as acetonitrile or water), thereby stabilizing the resulting complexes in the gas phase. Noteworthy, P2 led to 69% death rate in Hela cells at a concentration of 50 microM, exhibiting higher cytotoxicity than DFO in vitro despite its much lower affinity for iron. This enhanced toxicity may simply reflect the increased lipophilicity of the cyclic trihydroxamate (P2) together with the improvements in its cell penetration, and/or subsequent intracellular molecular recognition of both side chains and hydroxamate groups. The cytotoxicity was significantly suppressed by precoordination with Ga(III) or Fe(III), suggesting a mechanism of toxicity via sequestration of essential metal ions as well as the importance of curbing the metal coordination before targeting. The potential of such siderophore-mimicking peptides in oncology needs further exploration.

Candida albicans can utilize siderophore during candidastasis caused by apotransferrin

Ability of iron acquisition of pathogenic microorganisms functions as a virulence factor. Candida albicans, a fungal pathogen that requires iron for growth, is susceptible to growth retardation by high-affinity iron binding proteins such as transferrin. Recently, we reported that C. albicans could utilize the heme as a part of heme-containing proteins dissociated by heme oxygenase, CaHMX1. In search of another pathway that C. albicans can use to bypass the growth regulation produced by iron limitation, this present study examined utilization of non-candidal siderophores such as Desferal and rhodotorulic acid (RA) for acquisition of inorganic iron by the fungus. C. albicans secreting no siderophores was cultured in iron-free (pretreated with apotransferrin for 24 h) (culture medium). Once growth of the yeast reached stasis from iron starvation, a siderophore was added to the culture media. Results showed that cultures containing apotransferrin within a dialysis membrane recovered growth to the level of untreated controls, whereas C. albicans yeast cells in direct contact with soluble iron-free (apo) transferrin recovered growth only partially. When static growth from iron limitation was reached, the addition of siderophore-apotransferrin complex to culture medium also permitted the yeast to recover growth from apotransferrin growth regulation. All the data show that C. albicans can utilize the non-candidal siderophores for iron acquisition under transferrin regulation as can pathogenic bacteria.

Desferrioxamine E produced by Streptomyces griseus stimulates growth and development of Streptomyces tanashiensis

The authors previously reported that interspecific stimulatory events between Streptomyces species for antibiotic production and/or morphological differentiation mediated by putative diffusible metabolites take place at a high frequency. This paper reports the isolation and characterization of a substance produced by Streptomyces griseus that stimulates the growth and development of Streptomyces tanashiensis. The substance was purified from the culture supernatant of S. griseus by using anion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. FAB-MS and NMR analyses of the purified preparation indicated the substance to be desferrioxamine E (synonym: nocardamine), a siderophore that is widely produced by Streptomyces species and related organisms. Similar stimulatory effects on the growth and development of S. tanashiensis were exerted by desferrioxamine E produced by another actinomycete strain, but not by other siderophores tested, including ferrichrome and nocobactin and free ferric ion. An exogenous supply of desferrioxamine E stimulated secondary metabolite formation and/or morphological differentiation in various actinomycete strains. Disruption of the desferrioxamine biosynthesis gene cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) abolished the production of desferrioxamine E and the activity to stimulate the growth and differentiation of S. tanashiensis. The S. coelicolor mutant showed impaired growth and development on Bennett's/glucose agar medium, but it was rescued by the exogenous supply of desferrioxamine E. These results indicate that desferrioxamines play an important role in streptomycete physiology. Similar to several pathogenic bacteria and fungi, S. tanashiensis may be defective in the production of siderophores; however, it can utilize the siderophores excreted by other organisms.

Novel plant-microbe rhizosphere interaction involving Streptomyces lydicus WYEC108 and the pea plant (Pisum sativum)

A previously undescribed plant-microbe interaction between a root-colonizing Streptomyces species, S. lydicus WYEC108, and the legume Pisum sativum is described. The interaction is potentially of great importance to the health and growth in nature of this nodulating legume. The root-colonizing soil actinomycete S. lydicus WYEC108 influences pea root nodulation by increasing root nodulation frequency, possibly at the level of infection by Rhizobium spp. S. lydicus also colonizes and then sporulates within the surface cell layers of the nodules. Colonization leads to an increase in the average size of the nodules that form and improves the vigor of bacteroids within the nodules by enhancing nodular assimilation of iron and possibly other soil nutrients. Bacteroid accumulation of the carbon storage polymer, poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate, is reduced in colonized nodules. Root nodules of peas taken from agricultural fields in the Palouse hills of northern Idaho were also found to be colonized by actinomycete hyphae. We hypothesize that root and nodule colonization is one of several mechanisms by which Streptomyces acts as a naturally occurring plant growth-promoting bacterium in pea and possibly other leguminous plants.

Siderophore formation in iron-limited cultures of Frankia sp. strain 52065 and Frankia sp. strain CeSI5

Frankia sp. strain 52065 (DDB 03010210) produces a high-affinity iron chelator or siderophore termed frankobactin to obtain iron needed for nitrogen fixation under iron-limiting conditions. Cultures of Frankia sp. strain 52065 and Frankia sp. strain CeSI5 (UFG 026605) were grown under iron-limiting and iron-replete conditions and examined for siderophore formation throughout the growth cycle using the HPLC 55Fe-binding assay and the Csaky chemical assay. Both cultures produced frankobactin under iron-limiting, but not iron-replete, conditions. This is the first positive report of hydroxamate siderophore formation in a Frankia isolate other than Frankia sp. strain 52065. A detailed analysis of siderophore formation throughout the culture cycle shows the presence of a second, strong iron-binding compound in both Frankia sp. strain 52065 and Frankia strain CeSI5. Chemical characterization by mass spectroscopy indicates that this second siderophore, named frankobactin A, is likely to be the open oxazoline ring conformer of frankobactin. Solution concentrations of frankobactin and frankobactin A increased during the rapid growth phase of Frankia in culture, reaching a maximum concentration of 20-25 µM, then decreased once the cultures entered stationary phase. Uptake studies using 55Fe-labeled frankobactin indicated this siderophore forms part of an inducible, high-affinity iron-uptake mechanism.Key words: hydroxamate, siderophore, frankobactin, iron, limitation, uptake.

Differential Siderophore Utilization and Iron Uptake by Soil and Rhizosphere Bacteria

The differential availabilities of the hydroxamate siderophores ferrioxamine B (FOB) and ferrichrome (FC) and the pseudobactin siderophores St3, 7NSK 2 , and WCS 358 as sources of Fe for soil and rhizosphere bacteria were studied. About 20% of the total bacterial CFU from the rhizospheres of four plant species were able to use FOB as the sole Fe source in an Fe-deficient medium, while about 12, 10, 2, and > 1% were able to use FC and pseudobactins 7NSK 2 , St3, and WCS 358, respectively. Of the 165 colonies isolated from plates containing pseudobactins, 64 were able to use the pseudobactin on which they were isolated as the sole Fe source in pure culture. Cross-feeding tests showed that almost all of these 64 strains were also able to use at least one of the other siderophores studied (pseudobactin, FOB, or FC). Pseudomonas putida StS2, Pseudomonas maltophilia 7NM1, and Vibrio fluvialis WS1, which were originally isolated on pseudobactins St3, 7NSK 2 , and WCS 358, respectively, were selected for their ability to grow with pseudobactin St3 as the sole Fe source. They incorporated 55 Fe 3+ mediated by pseudobactin St3 at various rates (71.5, 4, and 23 pmol/min/mg [dry weight] of cells, respectively). Similarly, P. putida St3 was shown to incorporate 55 Fe 3+ mediated by FOB and FC. We suggest that the ability of bacteria to utilize a large variety of siderophores confers an ecological advantage.

Structural and stereochemical aspects of iron transport in fungi

A variety of fungi are known to overproduce and excrete desferri-siderophores under iron limitation. After complexing with ferric iron, octahedral complexes are formed and taken up by siderophore-specific transport systems. These systems represent energy consuming systems as inferred from their sensitivity to respiratory inhibitors, uncouplers and changes of the membrane potential and are able to recognize structure and stereochemical configuration of the various siderophore molecules. Ferrichromes, the most common siderophores in fungi, are generally recognized as Lambda-cis coordination complexes. Triacetylfusarinins, although prevailing as Delta-cis optical isomers in aqueous solution, are assumed to be taken up after isomerization to the corresponding Lambda-cis complexes. However, coprogens which also show a predominant Delta-absolute configuration in solution seem to be transported without prior isomerization. When both, ferrichromes as well as triacetylfusarines or coprogens are taken up, competition during uptake is observed, suggesting the presence of a common transport system during translocation of siderophores across the fungal plasma membrane.

Characterization of siderophore-mediated iron transport in Geotrichum candidum, a non-siderophore producer

Geotrichum candidum is capable of utilizing iron from hydroxamate siderophores of different structural classes. The relative rates of iron transport for ferrichrome, ferrichrysin, ferrioxamine B, fusigen, ferrichrome A, rhodotorulic acid, coprogen B, dimerium acid and ferrirhodin were 100%, 98%, 74%, 59%, 49%, 35%, 24%, 12% and 11% respectively. Ferrichrome, ferrichrysine and ferrichrome A inhibited [59Fe]ferrioxamine-B-mediated iron transport by 71%, 68% and 28% respectively when added at equimolar concentrations to the radioactive complex. The inhibitory mechanism of [59Fe]ferrioxamine B uptake by ferrichrome was noncompetitive (Ki 2.4 microM), suggesting that the two siderophores do not share a common transport system. Uptake of [59Fe]ferrichrome, [59Fe]rhodotorulic acid and [59Fe]fusigen was unaffected by competition with the other two siderophores or with ferrioxamine B. Thus, G. candidum may possess independent transport systems for siderophores of different structural classes. The uptake rates of [14C]ferrioxamine B and 67Ga-desferrioxamine B were 30% and 60% respectively, as compared to [59Fe]ferrioxamine B. The specific ferrous chelates, dipyridyl and ferrozine at 6 mM, caused 65% and 35% inhibition of [59Fe]ferrioxamine uptake. From these results we conclude that, although about 70% of the iron is apparently removed from the complex by reduction prior to being transported across the cellular membrane, a significant portion of the chelated ligand may enter the cell intact. The former and latter mechanisms seem not to be mutually exclusive.

Utilization of microbial siderophores in iron acquisition by oat

Iron uptake by oat (Avena sativa cv Victory) was examined under hydroponic chemical conditions that required direct utilization of microbial siderophores for iron transport. Measurements of iron uptake rates by excised roots from the hydroxamate siderophores, ferrichrome, ferrichrome A, coprogen, ferrioxamine B (FOB), and rhodotorulic acid (RA) showed all five of the siderophores supplied iron, but that FOB and RA were preferentially utilized. FOB-mediated iron uptake increased four-fold when roots were preconditioned to iron stress and involved an active, iron-stress induced transport system that was inhibited by 5 millimolar sodium azide or 0.5 millimolar dinitrophenol. Kinetic studies indicated partial saturation with an apparent K(m) of 5 micromolar when FOB was supplied at 0.1 to 50 micromolar concentrations. Whole plant experiments confirmed that 5 micromolar FOB was sufficient for plant growth. Siderophore-mediated iron transport was inhibited by Cr-ferrichrome, an analog of ferrated siderophore. Our results confirm the existence of a microbial siderophore iron transport system in oat which functions within the physiological concentrations produced and used by soil microorganisms.

Metabolic utilization of 57Fe-labeled coprogen in Neurospora crassa. An in vivo Mössbauer study

Mössbauer spectra of whole cells of Neurospora crassa arg-5 ota aga (a siderophore-free mutant) show that the siderophore coprogen is accumulated inside the cell as an entity. 57Fe from 57Fe-labeled coprogen is slowly removed from the complex (45% in 27 h). The rate of removal depends on the degree of iron starvation of the cells. The distribution of 55Fe from [55Fe]coprogen in vacuoles, membranes, and cytoplasm has been also determined. From this it is clear that coprogen is accumulated in the cytoplasm. In addition to its role as a siderophore, coprogen serves as an iron-storage compound. No holoferritins could be detected. We therefore conclude that this type of iron-storage protein is lacking in N. crassa. Metabolized iron was found predominantly to exist as an envelope of Fe(II) high-spin (delta = 1.2-1.3 mm s-1; delta EQ = 3.0-3.1 mm s-1 at 4.2 K) and fast-relaxing Fe(III) high-spin species (delta approximately equal to 0.25 mm s-1 and 0.45 mm s-1; delta EQ approximately equal to 0.6 mm s-1 and 0.55 mm s-1, respectively, at 4.2 K). An assignment of these major iron metabolites is difficult. The Mössbauer data of the Fe(II) species do not fit those reported for heme, cytochromes and ferredoxins. We therefore assume that this iron metabolite represents a novel internal iron compound. One of the Fe(III) species becomes the dominant component of the cell spectra after 65 h of metabolization and might correspond to an iron-storage compound with iron oxide cores similar to bacterioferritin. After 27 h of growth in mycelia supplied with 57Fe-labeled coprogen, the siderophore ferricrocin was observed in the cell spectra. This is unexpected, since N. crassa arg-5 ota aga is unable to synthesize ornithine. We assume that ferricrocin is synthesized by the use of coprogen degradation products.

Inhibitory effect of the partially resolved coordination isomers of chromic desferricoprogen on coprogen uptake in Neurospora crassa

Two partially resolved chromatographic fractions of geometrical and optical isomers of the chromic complexes of desferricoprogen, a siderophore from Neurospora crassa, were obtained from high-pressure liquid chromatography on a reverse-phase matrix. The first fraction was identified as a cis complex with a 20% diastereomeric excess of the lambda isomer. The second fraction was identified as a mixture of several of the possible trans isomers with a net 20% diastereomeric excess of the delta isomers. These fractions were used to evaluate the stereospecificity of the coprogen-mediated iron uptake system with respect to the metal coordination center. Fraction II competitively inhibited coprogen uptake, whereas fraction I showed only slight inhibition. N. crassa accumulated chromium from fraction II faster than the rate of chromium uptake from fraction I. Neither fraction had a significant effect on the uptake of ferricrocin, suggesting that coprogen and ferricrocin are taken up by different receptor systems.

Specificity and mechanism of ferrioxamine-mediated iron transport in Streptomyces pilosus

Although the ferrioxamines are an important and well-characterized class of siderophores produced by several species of Nocardia, Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Arthrobacter, Chromobacterium, and Pseudomonas, no studies of the mechanism of ferrioxamine-mediated iron uptake have been performed for an organism which produces the siderophore. This is the first report of metal transport in Streptomyces pilosus mediated by the native ferrioxamines B, D1, D2, and E. 55Fe accumulation in these ferrioxamines was dependent on metabolic energy and was a saturable process with increasing complex concentration. The apparent Km for [55Fe]ferrioxamine B uptake was approximately 0.2 microM. Both chromic desferriferrioxamine B and [67Ga]desferriFerrioxamine B were transported at rates similar to those of the 55Fe complexes: this implies that no decomplexation or reduction of the metal ion is required for transport, since the chromic complexes are kinetically inert and the gallium complexes have no stable divalent state as a possible reduction product. In addition, isomers of inert chromic desferriferrioxamine B complexes were used to probe the stereospecificity of the ferrioxamine uptake system. The chromic complexes were separated into three fractions by cationic exchange chromatography and assigned as two cis and a (mixture of) trans geometrical isomer(s) by their visible spectra. [55Fe]ferrioxamine B uptake was equally inhibited by each isomer, suggesting that no differentiation between cis and trans geometrical isomers occurs. In the presence of chromic desferriferrioxamine B isomers, the uptake rates for 55Fe-labeled ferrioxamines E, D1, and D2 were even more strongly reduced than was that for [55Fe]ferrioxamine B itself. From these results we conclude that all the ferrioxamines tested are transported into the cells by the same uptake system.