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. 2010 Feb;23(1):129-34.
doi: 10.1007/s10534-009-9272-x. Epub 2009 Oct 9.

Temporal production of the two Bacillus anthracis siderophores, petrobactin and bacillibactin

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Temporal production of the two Bacillus anthracis siderophores, petrobactin and bacillibactin

Melissa K Wilson et al. Biometals. 2010 Feb.

Abstract

Bacillus anthracis secretes two siderophores, petrobactin (PB) and bacillibactin (BB). These siderophores were temporally produced during germination and outgrowth of spores (the usual infectious form of B. anthracis) in low-iron medium. The siderophore PB was made first while BB secretion began several hours later. Spore outgrowth early in an infection may require PB, whereas delayed BB production suggests a role for BB in the later stages of the infection. Incubation of cultures (inoculated as vegetative cells) at 37 degrees C, as compared to 2 degrees C, increased PB production and decreased secretion of BB, suggesting that the production of PB and BB responded to the host temperature signal. The dual siderophores of B. anthracis may fulfill independent roles in the life cycle of B. anthracis.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Temporal secretion of PB and BB during germination and outgrowth of B. anthracis USAMRIID spores. Spores were inoculated in low- and high-iron CTM medium and germination and outgrowth of vegetative cells was followed by turbidity measurements (Panel A). Cell free culture samples were analyzed at the times indicated by reverse phase HPLC for PB (Panel B) and BB (Panel C). Asterisks indicate no siderophore was detected. Data presented is from a typical experiment.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effect of incubation temperature on B. anthracis USAMRIID siderophore secretion determined at the maximum stationary phase of growth in low-iron CTM medium at 37°C. Concentrations of secreted products were normalized as μM per OD600 unit of culture turbidity.

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