Metal regulation of siderophore synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and functional effects of siderophore-metal complexes

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa synthesizes two siderophores, pyochelin and pyoverdin, characterized by widely different structures, physicochemical properties, and affinities for Fe(III). Titration experiments showed that pyochelin, which is endowed with a relatively low affinity for Fe(III), binds other transition metals, such as Cu(II), Co(II), Mo(VI), and Ni(II), with appreciable affinity. In line with these observations, Fe(III) and Co(II) at 10 microM or Mo(VI), Ni(II), and Cu(II) at 100 microM repressed pyochelin synthesis and reduced expression of iron-regulated outer membrane proteins of 75, 68, and 14 kDa. In contrast, pyoverdin synthesis and expression of the 80-kDa receptor protein were affected only by Fe(III). All of the metals tested, except Mo(VI), significantly promoted P. aeruginosa growth in metal-poor medium; Mo(VI), Ni(II), and Co(II) were more efficient as pyochelin complexes than the free metal ions and the siderophore. The observed correlation between the affinity of pyochelin for Fe(III), Co(II), and Mo(VI) and the functional effects of these metals indicates that pyochelin may play a role in their delivery to P. aeruginosa.