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Magnetotactic bacteria like Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense are able to orient along magnetic field lines due to the intracellular formation of magnetite nanoparticles. Biomineralization of magnetite has been suggested to require a yet-unknown ferritin-like ferrihydrite component. Here, we report the identification of a bacterioferritin as the source of ferrihydrite in M. gryphiswaldense and show that, contrary to previous reports, bacterioferritin is not involved in magnetite biomineralization but required for oxidative stress resistance. Additionally, we show that bacterioferritin of M. gryphiswaldense is an unusual member of the bacterioferritin subfamily as it is composed of two functionally distinct subunits. Thus, our findings extend our understanding of the bacterioferritin subfamily and also solve a longstanding question about the magnetite biomineralization pathway., The biomineralization pathway of magnetite in magnetotactic bacteria is still poorly understood and a matter of intense debates. In particular, the existence, nature, and location of possible mineral precursors of magnetite are not clear. One possible precursor has been suggested to be ferritin-bound ferrihydrite. To clarify its role for magnetite biomineralization, we analyzed and characterized ferritin-like proteins from the magnetotactic alphaproteobacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1, employing genetic, biochemical, and spectroscopic techniques. Transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy of the wild type (WT) and a bacterioferritin (bfr) deletion strain uncovered that the presence of ferrihydrite in cells is coupled to the presence of Bfr. However, bfr and dps deletion mutants, encoding another ferritin-like protein, or even mutants with their codeletion had no impact on magnetite formation in MSR-1. Thus, ferritin-like proteins are not involved in magnetite biomineralization and Bfr-bound ferrihydrite is not a precursor of magnetite biosynthesis. Using transmission electron microscopy and bacterial two-hybrid and electrophoretic methods, we also show that MSR-1 Bfr is an atypical representative of the Bfr subfamily, as it forms tetraeicosameric complexes from two distinct subunits. Furthermore, our analyses revealed that these subunits are functionally divergent, with Bfr1 harboring a ferroxidase activity while only Bfr2 contributes to heme binding. Because of this functional differentiation and the poor formation of homooligomeric Bfr1 complexes, only heterooligomeric Bfr protects cells from oxidative stress in vivo. In summary, our results not only provide novel insights into the biomineralization of magnetite but also reveal the unique properties of so-far-uncharacterized heterooligomeric bacterioferritins.

Although the iron uptake and storage mechanisms of terrestrial/higher plants have been well studied, the corresponding systems in marine algae have received far less attention. Studies have shown that while some species of unicellular algae utilize unique mechanisms of iron uptake, many acquire iron through the same general mechanisms as higher plants. In contrast, the iron acquisition strategies of the multicellular macroalgae remain largely unknown. This is especially surprising since many of these organisms represent important ecological and evolutionary niches in the coastal marine environment. It has been well established in both laboratory and environmentally derived samples, that a large amount of iron can be 'non-specifically' adsorbed to the surface of marine algae. While this phenomenon is widely recognized and has prompted the development of experimental protocols to eliminate its contribution to iron uptake studies, its potential biological significance as a concentrated iron source for marine algae is only now being recognized. This study used an interdisciplinary array of techniques to explore the nature of the extensive and powerful iron binding on the surface of both laboratory and environmental samples of the marine brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus and shows that some of this surface-bound iron is eventually internalized. It is proposed that the surface-binding properties of E. siliculosus allow it to function as a quasibiological metal ion 'buffer', allowing iron uptake under the widely varying external iron concentrations found in coastal marine environments.

The iron uptake and storage systems of terrestrial/higher plants are now reasonably well understood with two basic strategies being distinguished: strategy I involves the induction of a Fe(III)-chelate reductase (ferrireductase) along with Fe(II) or Fe(III) transporter proteins while strategy II plants have evolved sophisticated systems based on high-affinity, iron specific, binding compounds called phytosiderophores. In contrast, there is little knowledge about the corresponding systems in marine, plant-like lineages. Herein we report a study of the iron uptake and storage mechanisms in the green alga Tetraselmis suecica. Short term radio-iron uptake studies indicate that iron is taken up by Tetraselmis in a time and concentration dependent manner consistent with an active transport process. Based on inhibitor and other studies it appears that a reductive-oxidative pathway such as that found in yeast and the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is likely. Upon long term exposure to (57)Fe we have been able, using a combination of Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, to identify three metabolites. The first exhibits Mössbauer parameters typical of a [Fe(4)S(4)](2+) cluster and which accounts for approximately 10% of the total intracellular iron pool. The second displays a spectrum typical of a [Fe(II)O(6)] system accounting for approximately 2% of the total pool. The largest component (ca. 85+%) consists of polymeric iron-oxo mineral species with parameters between that of the crystalline ferrihydrite core of animal ferritins and the amorphous hydrated ferric phosphate of bacterial and plant ferritins.

Bacteria use small diffusible molecules to exchange information in a process called quorum sensing (QS). An important class of quorum sensing molecules used by Gram-negative bacteria is the family of N-acylhomoserine lactones (HSL). It was recently discovered that a degradation product of the QS molecule 3-oxo-C(12)-homoserine lactone, the tetramic acid 3-(1-hydroxydecylidene)-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine-2,4-dione, is a potent antibacterial agent, thus implying roles for QS outside of simply communication. Because these tetramic acids also appear to bind iron with appreciable affinity it was suggested that metal binding might contribute to their biological activity. Here, using a variety of spectroscopic tools, we describe the coordination chemistry of both the methylidene and decylidene tetramic acid derivatives with Fe(III) and Ga(III) and discuss the potential biological significance of such metal binding.

Magnetotactic bacteria form chains of intracellular membrane-enclosed, nanometre-sized magnetite crystals for navigation along the earth's magnetic field. The assembly of these prokaryotic organelles requires several specific polypeptides. Among the most abundant proteins associated with the magnetosome membrane of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense are MamB and MamM, which were implicated in magnetosomal iron transport because of their similarity to the cation diffusion facilitator family. Here we demonstrate that MamB and MamM are multifunctional proteins involved in several steps of magnetosome formation. Whereas both proteins were essential for magnetite biomineralization, only deletion of mamB resulted in loss of magnetosome membrane vesicles. MamB stability depended on the presence of MamM by formation of a heterodimer complex. In addition, MamB was found to interact with several other proteins including the PDZ1 domain of MamE. Whereas any genetic modification of MamB resulted in loss of function, site-specific mutagenesis within MamM lead to increased formation of polycrystalline magnetite particles. A single amino acid substitution within MamM resulted in crystals consisting of haematite, which coexisted with magnetite crystals. Together our data indicate that MamM and MamB have complex functions, and are involved in the control of different key steps of magnetosome formation, which are linked by their direct interaction.

Magnetotactic bacteria synthesize specific organelles, the magnetosomes, which are membrane-enveloped crystals of the magnetic mineral magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ). The biomineralization of magnetite involves the uptake and intracellular accumulation of large amounts of iron. However, it is not clear how iron uptake and biomineralization are regulated and balanced with the biochemical iron requirement and intracellular homeostasis. In this study, we identified and analyzed a homologue of the f erric u ptake r egulator Fur in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense , which was able to complement a fur mutant of Escherichia coli . A fur deletion mutant of M. gryphiswaldense biomineralized fewer and slightly smaller magnetite crystals than did the wild type. Although the total cellular iron accumulation of the mutant was decreased due to reduced magnetite biomineralization, it exhibited an increased level of free intracellular iron, which was bound mostly to a ferritin-like metabolite that was found significantly increased in Mössbauer spectra of the mutant. Compared to that of the wild type, growth of the fur mutant was impaired in the presence of paraquat and under aerobic conditions. Using a Fur titration assay and proteomic analysis, we identified constituents of the Fur regulon. Whereas the expression of most known magnetosome genes was unaffected in the fur mutant, we identified 14 proteins whose expression was altered between the mutant and the wild type, including five proteins whose genes constitute putative iron uptake systems. Our data demonstrate that Fur is a regulator involved in global iron homeostasis, which also affects magnetite biomineralization, probably by balancing the competing demands for biochemical iron supply and magnetite biomineralization.

Iron-uptake is well studied in a plethora of pro- and eukaryotic organisms with the exception of Archaea, which thrive mainly in extreme environments. In this study, the mechanism of iron transport in the extremely halophilic Euryarchaeon Halobacterium salinarum strain JW 5 was analyzed. Under low-iron growth conditions no siderophores were detectable in culture supernatants. However, various xenosiderophores support growth of H. salinarum. In [55Fe]-[14C] double-label experiments, H. salinarum displays uptake of iron but not of the chelator citrate. Uptake of iron was inhibited by cyanide and at higher concentrations by Ga. Furthermore, a K(M) for iron uptake in cells of 2.36 microM and a Vmax of approximately 67 pmol Fe/min/mg protein was determined. [55Fe]-uptake kinetics were measured in the absence and presence of Ga. Uptake of iron was inhibited merely at very high Ga concentrations. The results indicate an energy dependent iron uptake process in H. salinarum and suggest reduction of the metal at the membrane level.

Very recently, an iron-rich protein, DpsA, was isolated from the extreme halophilic euryarchaeon Halobacterium salinarum JW5 and characterized. The amino acid sequence of DpsA is related to Dps proteins which belong structurally to the ferritin superfamily but differ from ferritins in their function and regulation. Employing Northern and Western blot analysis, the expression of DpsA in H. salinarum was examined throughout all growth phases and under a variety of growth conditions (iron deficiency, iron supplied growth, oxidative stress). DpsA shows increasing expression of dpsA mRNA in iron-rich media and under conditions of oxidative stress (H(2)O(2)), whereas under iron-deficient conditions mRNA-levels decrease. This is in contrast to Dps-type proteins the transcription of which is induced under conditions of iron starvation. Northern blot experiments show that the expression pattern of halobacterial DpsA is the same as that found in the few bacterial non-heme ferritin the expression pattern of which has been analyzed so far. Based on Western-blot analysis post-transcriptional regulation, typical of mammalian ferritins, can be excluded. This protein exhibits features of a non-heme type bacterial ferritin although it shares only little sequence similarity with Ftn from E. coli.

Carbamoylphosphate has been shown to be the educt for the synthesis ofthe CN ligands of the NiFe metal centre of hydrogenases from Escherichiacoli. In the absence of carbamoylphosphate, cells accumulate a complex oftwo hydrogenase maturation proteins, namely HypC and HypD for thesynthesis of hydrogenase 3. A procedure for the purification of wild-typeHypD protein or of a biologically active derivative carrying the Strep-tagIIwat the N terminus has been developed. HypD is a monomeric proteinpossessing about 4 mol of iron per mol of protein. Electron paramagneticresonance (EPR) and Mo¿ssbauer spectroscopy demonstrated that the iron ispresent as a diamagnetic [4Fe¿4S]2C cluster. The complex between HypCand HypD can be cross-linked by a number of thiol and primary aminespecificlinkers. When HypD and HypC were overproduced side-by-sidewith HypE, the HypC¿HypD complex contained substoichiometricamounts of HypE whose proportion in the complex could be augmentedwhen HypF was also overproduced. HypE trapped in this complex couldbe carbamoylated by protein HypF and after dehydration transferred thecyano group to the HypC¿HypD part of the complex. Free HypC andHypD were not cyanated by HypE-CN. An active HypC¿HypD complexfrom anaerobic cells was inactivated by incubation with K3[Fe(CN)6] butnot with K4[Fe(CN)6]. The results suggest the existence of a dynamiccomplex between the hydrogenase maturation proteins HypD, HypC,HypE and HypF, which is the site of ligand biosynthesis and attachment tothe iron atom of the NiFe site in hydrogenase 3.

FhuF is a cytoplasmic 2Fe-2S protein of Escherichia coli loosely associated with the cytoplasmic membrane. E. coli fhuF mutants showed reduced growth on plates with ferrioxamine B as the sole iron source, although siderophore uptake was not defective in transport experiments. Removal of iron from coprogen, ferrichrome, and ferrioxamine B was significantly lower in fhuF mutants compared to the corresponding parental strains, which suggested that FhuF is involved in iron removal from these hydroxamate-type siderophores. A redox potential E(1/2) of -310 +/- 25 mV relative to the normal hydrogen electrode was determined for FhuF by EPR redox titration; this redox potential is sufficient to reduce the siderophores coprogen and ferrichrome. Mössbauer spectra revealed that FhuF in its [Fe(2+)-Fe(3+)] state is also capable of direct reduction of ferrioxamine B-bound ferric iron, thus proving its reductase function. This is the first report on a bacterial siderophore-iron reductase which in vivo seems to be specific for a certain group of hydroxamates.

TheYFH1 geneistheyeasthomologueofthehumanFRDAgene,whichencodesthefrataxinprotein.Saccharomyces cerevisiae cellslackingtheYFH1 geneshowedverylowcytochromecontent.InDyfh1strains,thelevelofferrochelatase(Hem15p)wasverylow,asaresultoftranscriptionalrepressionofHEM15.However,thelowamountofHem15pwasnotthecauseofhaemedeficiencyinDyfh1 cells.Ferrochelatase,amitochondrialprotein,abletomediateinsertionofironorzincintotheporphyrinprecursor,madeprimarilythezincprotoporphyrinproduct.ZincprotoporphyrininsteadofhaemeaccumulatedduringgrowthofDyfh1mutantcellsand,furthermore,preferentialformationofzincprotoporphyrinwasobservedinrealtime.Themethodforthesestudiesinvolveddirectpresentationofporphyrintomitochondriaandtoferrochelataseofpermeabilizedcellswithintactarchitecture,therebyspecificallytestingtheirondeliveryportionofthehaemebiosyntheticpathway.ThestudiesshowedthatDyfh1 mutantcellsaredefectiveinironusebyferrochelatase.Mo¨ssbauerspectroscopicanalysisshowedthatironwaspresentasamorphousnano-particlesofferricphosphateinDyfh1 mitochondria,whichcouldexplaintheunavailabilityofironforhaemesynthesis.Ahighfrequencyofsuppressormutationswasobserved,andthephenotypeofsuchmutantswascharacterizedbyrestorationofhaemesynthesisintheabsenceofYfh1p.Suppressorstrainsshowedanormalcytochromecontent,normalrespiration,butremaineddefectiveinFe–Sproteinsandstillaccumulatedironintomitochondriaalthoughtoalesserextent.Yfh1pandHem15pwereshowntointeractin vitro byBiacorestudies.OurresultssuggestthatYfh1mediatesironusebyferrochelatase.INTRODUCTIONThe YFH1 gene is the yeast homologue of the human FRDAgene, which encodes the frataxin protein. Mutations of FRDAassociated with decreased frataxin expression are responsiblefor Friedreich’s ataxia, the most common autosomal-recessiveneurodegenerative disease of Caucasians (1,2). Both genescode for mitochondrial proteins that are involved in ironhomeostasis and cellular respiration (3–8), but their preciseroles are unknown. Cardiac tissues from patients withFriedreich’s ataxia exhibit iron deposition, deficiencies in manyiron–sulphur cluster enzymes and reduced mitochondrial DNA(8,9). In addition, fibroblasts from these patients showhypersensitivity to oxidative stress that can be rescued bytreatment with iron chelators (10). A link to haeme biosynthesishas not been uncovered, and blood, bone marrow and red celldevelopment appear to be normal in patient with frataxindeficits. Frataxin is downregulated during erythroid develop-ment, suggesting that this protein is not involved in the high-volume iron trafficking that accompanies red cell production inthe bone marrow (11). However, activities of haeme enzymes inother tissues of Friedreich’s ataxia patients have not beenassessed, leaving open the possibility that tissue-specific haemedeficiencies may exist.Yeast cells lacking Yfh1p mirror many of the phenotypesobserved in disease tissues from patients with Friedreich’sataxia. These cells have defective respiration (3,5,12–14),unstable mitochondrial DNA and hypersensitivity to oxidative

Under iron limitation, the plant pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi produces the catechol-type siderophore chrysobactin, which acts as a virulence factor. It can also use enterobactin as a xenosiderophore. We began this work by sequencing the 5'-upstream region of the fct-cbsCEBA operon, which encodes the ferric chrysobactin receptor and proteins involved in synthesis of the catechol moiety. We identified a new iron-regulated gene (cbsH) transcribed divergently relative to the fct gene, the translated sequence of which is 45.6% identical to that of Escherichia coli ferric enterobactin esterase. Insertions within this gene interrupt the chrysobactin biosynthetic pathway by exerting a polar effect on a downstream gene with some sequence identity to the E. coli enterobactin synthase gene. These mutations had no effect on the ability of the bacterium to obtain iron from enterobactin, showing that a functional cbsH gene is not required for iron removal from ferric enterobactin in E. chrysanthemi. The cbsH-negative mutants were less able to utilize ferric chrysobactin, and this effect was not caused by a defect in transport per se. In a nonpolar cbsH-negative mutant, chrysobactin accumulated intracellularly. These defects were rescued by the cbsH gene supplied on a plasmid. The amino acid sequence of the CbsH protein revealed characteristics of the S9 prolyl oligopeptidase family. Ferric chrysobactin hydrolysis was detected in cell extracts from a cbsH-positive strain that was inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate. These data are consistent with the fact that chrysobactin is a d-lysyl-l-serine derivative. Mossbauer spectroscopy of whole cells at various states of (57)Fe-labeled chrysobactin uptake showed that this enzyme is not required for iron removal from chrysobactin in vivo. The CbsH protein may therefore be regarded as a peptidase that prevents the bacterial cells from being intracellularly iron-depleted by chrysobactin.

Iron complexes of daunorubicin, idarubicin, pirarubicin, and doxorubicin in anhydrous DMF were studied by UV/vis, CD, fluorescence, Mössbauer, and EPR spectroscopy. Titration studies of the metal-free anthracyclines showed one (UV-detectable) deprotonation step requiring 2 equiv of base, compared to 1 equiv for quinizarine. Metal complexation was studied at three different metal/ligand ratios, and with increasing amounts of base. The results obtained from optical spectroscopy show the existence of two different complex species and give clear indications for the requirements of metal complexation. Complex species I, formed at a low iron-to-ligand ratio, is less dependent on base addition than complex species II formed with equimolar ferric ion. EPR and Mössbauer experiments provide further insight into the structures of both complex species. Lack of spin density of the Mössbauer samples in EPR indicates spin coupling between the metal centers. Mössbauer spectra consist of single quadrupole doublets with values typical for high-spin ferric ion in an octahedral arrangement. The Mössbauer spectroscopic features at 7 T exclude the presence of S = 0 dimers. Complex I represents a monomeric ferric iron complex whereas complex II is consistent with a more or less aggregrated oligomeric Fe-anthracycline system.

The interaction of Fe3+ with several anthracycline antitumour antibiotics has been reinvestigated. Absorption and circular dichroism (CD) measurements were carried out (i) in aqueous solution and (ii) in semi-aqueous MeOH to avoid the stacking of the anthracycline molecules. The Fe3+ binding to anthracycline was dependent on the metal-to-ligand molar ratio, antibiotic concentration, ionic strength, and pH. The formation of two major Fe3(+)-anthracycline complexes, I and II, was observed for all the drugs. These species differed in their coordination modes to the anthracycline ligands. Complex I was a monomeric species, where Fe3+ was bound to the anthracycline through the {C(11)-O-; C(12) = O} chelating site. In complex II, Fe3+ was also bound through the {C(5) = O; C(6)-O-} coordination site. Thus, the antibiotic ligand was acting as a bridge between two metal ions, forming oligomeric (or polymeric) structures. The different degree of association of the anthracyclines could be responsible for the reactivity of the metal ion. In fact, complexes I and II could constitute mononuclear, binuclear or polynuclear Fe3+ species depending on the competitive kinetics of both coordination and hydrolysis of the metal ion.

Transport and metabolization of iron bound to the fungal siderophore rhizoferrin was analyzed by transport kinetics, Mossbauer and EPR spectroscopy. Saturation kinetics (vmax=24.4 pmol/(mg min), Km=64.4μM) and energy dependence excluded diffusion and provided evidence for a rhizoferrin transport system in M. smegmatis. Based on the spectroscopic techniques indications for intracellular presence of the ferric rhizoferrin complex were found. This feature could be of practical importance in the search of novel drugs for the treatment of mycobacterial infections. EPR and Mossbauer spectroscopy revealed different ferritin mineral cores depending on the siderophore iron source. This finding was interpreted in terms of different protein shells, i.e. two types of ferritins.

We previously used fhuF as a sensitive reporter gene of the iron status of Escherichia coli. In this report, the fhuF gene was identified as open reading frame f262b at 99.2 min on the genome sequence map of E. coli K-12. The FhuF protein was labeled with a His-tag and then purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. Based on sulfur determinations and Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopy, FhuF was identified as a [2Fe-2S] protein. The g values (gx = 1.886, gy = 1.961, gz = 1.994) and some of the Mössbauer parameters of FhuF obtained [oxidized protein as isolated: delta EQ,4.2K = 0.474 mm s-1; Fe3+ (reduced protein): delta EQ = 0.978 mm s-1] are not typical of common [2Fe-2S] proteins and indicate that FhuF has unusual structural properties. The primary sequence of FhuF does not show any sequence similarities to known [2Fe-2S] proteins. By site-directed mutagenesis, each of the six cysteines of FhuF was replaced by serine. EPR of the six reduced mutant proteins revealed that the terminal cysteine residues 244, 245, 256, and 259 form the [2Fe-2S]Cys4 cluster. Mutants having the Cys-to-Ser replacement at positions 244, 245, 256, or 259 did not complement a fhuF mutant. The motif Cys-Cys-Xaa10-Cys-Xaa2-Cys in FhuF differs considerably from the motif Cys-Xaa2-Cys-Xaa9-15-Cys-Xaa2-Cys found in other [2Fe-2S] proteins. The unusual Cys-Cys terminal group of the cluster may explain the atypical EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopic properties of the FhuF protein; possibly the tetrahedral symmetry at the ferric ion site is distorted. The phenotype of fhuF mutants and the structural features of the FhuF protein suggest that FhuF is involved in the reduction of ferric iron in cytoplasmic ferrioxamine B.

The synthesis and characterization of the tridentate “heteroscorpionate” mixed functionality ligand, (2-thiophenyl)bis(pyrazolyl)methane, L1, is reported. This ligand was used to synthesize the complexes, [Fe(L1)2][ClO4], [Co(L1)2][BPh4], and [V(L1)2][BPh4]. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the latter two complexes gave the following structural parameters: [V(L1)2][BPh4]·MeCN·iPr2O, C58H57N9B1O1S2V1, monoclinic, a = 16.197(2) A, b = 19.281(2) A, c = 17.985(2) A, β = 102.343(9)°, space group P21/c; [Co(L1)2][BPh4]·CH2Cl2, C51H42N8B1Cl2Co1S2, triclinic, a = 12.751(1) A, b = 12.830(1) A, c = 14.740(1) A, α = 98.351(7)°, β = 98.122(6)°, γ = 97.023(8)°, space group P1. An example of the use of this new class of “heteroscorpionate” ligands for systematic comparisons of electronic properties of metal complexes with identical topology that vary only in the nature of one of the donor atoms is given.

The mixed functionality pyrazole/phenol ligand (2-hydroxyphenyl)bis(pyrazolyl)methane, L1OH, has been used to prepare a series of linear trimetallic systems with the general structural motif [M3(L1...

DNA is an excellent complexing agent for ferric iron. However it does not provide an adequate matrix for 57Fe nuclear resonance absorption at room temperature. Cellular ferritin with large particle size displays a broad resonance at ambient temperature. Therefore only ferritin could provide, if at all, the essential prerequisite for the MIRAGE effect.

Iron uptake of the 57Fe-siderophores ferricrocin, rhizoferrin and citrate in M. smegmatis was analyzed by in situ Mossbauer spectroscopy. Siderophore dependent uptake and metabolic utilization patterns of 57Fe were found. Rhizoferrin is accumulated in the organism and, therefore, represents a suitable candidate for the synthesis of novel siderophore-antibiotics conjugates.

The mechanism of spin‐lattice relaxation has been investigated in the “picket‐fence” porphyrin [Fe(CH3COO)(TPpivP)]-, a high‐spin iron(II) complex with unusual large quadrupole splitting of 4.25 mm s-1, by conventional Mossbauer spectroscopy as well as by nuclear resonant forward scattering (NFS). Superparamagnetism with a blocking temperature of about 8 K is observable by both methods in the spectra of bacterioferritin from S. olivaceus. From these two examples general conclusions about the merits of both methods can be drawn.

Sporal as well as mycelial ferritin from Absidia spinosa has been investigated by K-edge XAS. Both measurements can be interpreted with 6 oxygen atoms in the first coordination sphere, which are much more ordered in the mycelial than in the sporal species. The NEXAFS analysis indicates that the electronic structures of the iron centers are slightly different.

The interactions between ferric ions and the anticancer antibiotic adriamycin have been investigated by 57 Fe Mossbauer and electronic spectroscopies. The Mossbauer parameters are markedly dependent on the preparation procedure, the equilibration time, the metal-to-ligand ratio, and the concentration of the drug. At millimolar drug concentration, the 4.2 K Mossbauer spectra exhibit a broad Fe(III) magnetic sextet attributed to polynuclear aggregates of high magnetic anisotropy, and a quadrupole split Fe(III) doublet attributed to a species of lower magnetic anisotropy, which exhibits superparamagnetic behavior. The two species are in equilibrium, as indicated by the time evolution of both Mossbauer and electronic spectra. At 3.0 10 −5 M drug concentration, when adriamycin is mainly monomeric, the 4.2 K Mossbauer spectra exhibit a quadrupole split doublet, connected with a superparamagnetic system, as for the concentrated preparations, and a broad magnetic sextet whose relative area increases with aging. The species responsible for this sextet should be some polymerizable hydrolysis product of the Fe(III) ions present in the dilute solution. In addition, the presence of a transient Fe(II) quadrupole doublet, both in this preparation and when the [Fe] / [ADR] ratio is 1:5 at millimolar drug concentration, is explained with the known intramolecular one-electron redox reaction which ferric-adriamycin undergoes under anaerobic conditions. The present results confirm that adriamycin is markedly more reactive than daunomycin due to its hydroxymethyl side-chain, and suggest that the stacking of the drug molecules plays a role in the observed cooperative phenomena.

Growth promotion was tested using M. smegmatis wild type strain, an exochelin-deficient mutant, and M. fortuitum employing a broad variety of xenosiderophores including hydroxamates, catecholates and a-hydroxy carboxylic acids. The experiments revealed that utilization of siderophore-bound iron is substrate specific suggesting high-affinity siderophore receptor and transport systems. Concentration-dependent uptake of a selected xenosiderophore (fericrocin) in M. smegmatis showed saturation kinetics and uptake was inhibited by respiratory poisons. In situ Mossbauer spectroscopy of ferricrocin uptake in M. smegmatis indicated rapid intracellular reductive removal of the metal excluding intracellular ferricrocin accumulation. The ultimate intracellular iron pool is represented by a compound (δ = 0.43 mm s, DE = 1.03 mm s) which has also been found in many other microorganisms and does not represent a bacterioferritin, cytochrome or iron-sulfur cluster. By contrast, iron uptake via citrate - a compound exhibiting a very low complex stability constant - involves ligand exchange with mycobactin. Mycobactin has merely a transient role. The ultimate storage compound is an E.coli-type bacterioferritin, in which over 90% of cellular iron is located.

The interactions of the iron complexes of the anthracycline antitumour drugs daunomycin (DN) and adriamycin (ADM) with the mononucleotide AMP, herring sperm DNA, plasmic pBR322 and immortalized 3T3 fibroblasts were studied. By means of Mössbauer spectroscopy it was demonstrated that DNA is a powerful ferric iron chelator as compared with AMP, which is not able to compete with DN or acetohydroxamic acid for ferric iron. The difference between AMP and DNA is postulated to be based on the chelate effect. The Mössbauer spectra of the ternary Fe-anthracycline-DNA systems differ from Fe-anthracycline binary complexes, indicating rearrangement reactions. Dialysis experiments clearly disclose the formation of a ternary Fe-ADM-pBR322 complex, the topology of which differs substantially from intercalating ADM. The effect of Fe-ADM complexes (3:1) on the growth of immortalized mouse embryonal fibroblasts (NIH-3T3) was studied in comparison with ADM alone. No significant difference on the inhibition of cell growth was noticed, suggesting comparable cytotoxicity for the compounds. In contrast to literature data, no evidence was found for DNA cleavage by ferric ADM at molar ratios as high as 1/100 (ADM/base pair), even if the ternary systems were prepared in the light and in the presence of reducing or oxidizing agents. Based on our observations it seems that the cytotoxicity of both ADM and Fe-ADM oligomer is not based primarily on intercalation or direct interaction with DNA.

Iron is an essential element for all living organisms due to its ubiquitous role in redox and other enzymes, especially in the context of respiration and photosynthesis. The iron uptake and storage systems of terrestrial/higher plants are now reasonably well understood with two basic strategies for iron uptake being distinguished: strategy I plants use a mechanism involving soil acidification and induction of Fe(III)-chelate reductase (ferrireductase) and Fe(II) transporter proteins while strategy II plants have evolved sophisticated systems based on high-affinity, iron specific, binding compounds called phytosiderophores. In contrast, there is little knowledge about the corresponding systems in marine plant-like lineages. Herein we report a study of the iron uptake and storage mechanisms in the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi. Short term radio-iron uptake studies indicate that iron is taken up by Emiliania in a time and concentration dependent manner consistent with an active transport process. Based on inhibitor studies it appears that iron is taken up directly as Fe(iii). However if a reductive step is involved the Fe(II) must not be accessible to the external environment. Upon long term exposure to (57)Fe we have been able, using a combination of Mössbauer and XAS spectroscopies, to identify a single metabolite which displays spectral features similar to the phosphorus-rich mineral core of bacterial and plant ferritins.

Iron is an essential element for all living organisms due to its ubiquitous role in redox and other enzymes, especially in the context of respiration and photosynthesis. The iron uptake and storage systems of terrestrial/higher plants are now reasonably well understood, with two basic strategies for iron uptake being distinguished: strategy I plants use a mechanism involving induction of Fe(III)-chelate reductase (ferrireductase) and Fe(II) transporter proteins, while strategy II plants utilize high-affinity, iron-specific, binding compounds called phytosiderophores. In contrast, little is known about the corresponding systems in marine, plant-like lineages, particularly those of multicellular algae (seaweeds). Herein the first study of the iron uptake and storage mechanisms in the brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus is reported. Genomic data suggest that Ectocarpus may use a strategy I approach. Short-term radio-iron uptake studies verified that iron is taken up by Ectocarpus in a time- and concentration-dependent manner consistent with an active transport process. Upon long-term exposure to (57)Fe, two metabolites have been identified using a combination of Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopies. These include an iron-sulphur cluster accounting for ~26% of the total intracellular iron pool and a second component with spectra typical of a polymeric (Fe(3+)O(6)) system with parameters similar to the amorphous phosphorus-rich mineral core of bacterial and plant ferritins. This iron metabolite accounts for ~74% of the cellular iron pool and suggests that Ectocarpus contains a non-ferritin but mineral-based iron storage pool.

Mossbauer spectra of bacterioferritin fromStreptomyces olivaceus in zero field show essentially a transition from a quadrupole doublet to a six-line pattern at a temperature around 7–8 K and a distribution of hyperfine fields from 40 to 50 T. The EXAFS data reveal 3–4 phosphorus atoms in the second coordination shell. These features are found to be typical for various bacterioferritins.

The iron transport in the extremely halophilic Euryarchaeon Halobacterium salinarum JW5 was investigated. Experiments to detect endogenous siderophores from H. salinarum failed, but it was able to utilize exogenous siderophores. Measurement of the uptake of 55Fe and [14C]citrate gave evidence only for the accumulation of iron. Two additional membrane proteins could be detected in iron-starved cells, one in iron-repleted membranes and one that is up-regulated there. Respiratory rates of iron-starved membranes after the addition of succinate and NADH differed considerably from iron-repleted ones. Furthermore, both types of membrane exhibited different degrees of inhibition by cyanide.

We have analyzed ferrioxamine-E-mediated iron uptake and metabolization in Erwinia herbicola K4 (Pantoea agglomerans) by means of in vivo Mössbauer spectroscopy and radioactive labeling techniques. A comparison of cell spectra with the spectrum of ferrioxamine clearly demonstrates that ferrioxamine E is not accumulated in the cell, indicating a fast metal transfer. Only two major components of iron metabolism can be detected, a ferric and a ferrous species. At 30 min after uptake, 86% of the internalized metal corresponded to a ferrous ion compound and 14% to a ferric iron species. Metal transfer apparently involves a reductive process. With progressing growth, the oxidized species of the two major proteins becomes dominant. The two iron metabolites closely resemble species previously isolated from Escherichia coli. These components of iron metabolism differ from bacterio-ferritin, cytochromes and most iron-sulfur proteins. All other iron-containing cellular components are at least one order of magnitude lower in concentration. We suggest that the ferrous and ferric iron species correspond to two different oxidation states of a low-molecular mass protein.

During infection, the phytopathogenic enterobacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi has to cope with iron-limiting conditions and the production of reactive oxygen species by plant cells. Previous studies have shown that a tight control of the bacterial intracellular iron content is necessary for full virulence. The E. chrysanthemi genome possesses two loci that could be devoted to iron storage: the bfr gene, encoding a heme-containing bacterioferritin, and the ftnA gene, coding for a paradigmatic ferritin. To assess the role of these proteins in the physiology of this pathogen, we constructed ferritin-deficient mutants by reverse genetics. Unlike the bfr mutant, the ftnA mutant had increased sensitivity to iron deficiency and to redox stress conditions. Interestingly, the bfr ftnA mutant displayed an intermediate phenotype for sensitivity to these stresses. Whole-cell analysis by Mössbauer spectroscopy showed that the main iron storage protein is FtnA and that there is an increase in the ferrous iron/ferric iron ratio in the ftnA and bfr ftnA mutants. We found that ftnA gene expression is positively controlled by iron and the transcriptional repressor Fur via the small antisense RNA RyhB. bfr gene expression is induced at the stationary phase of growth. The σ S transcriptional factor is necessary for this control. Pathogenicity tests showed that FtnA and the Bfr contribute differentially to the virulence of E. chrysanthemi depending on the host, indicating the importance of a perfect control of iron homeostasis in this bacterial species during infection.

In the yeastsRhodotorula minuta andUstilago sphaerogena siderophores represent the main intracellular iron pool. We suggest a ferritin substituting function of these siderophores in addition to their role as iron transport agents. InRhodotorula transport and storage siderophore is the same compound whereas in Ustilago the iron-storage siderophore is ferrichrome. Besides siderophores, merely two iron metabolites can be observed. Other iron-requiring compounds are at least one order of magnitude less abundant in these yeasts. The ferrous metabolite has been detected in many other microbial systems and seems to be of general occurence and importance.

Siderophores (from the Greek: iron carrier) are low molecular mass (500–1500 Da) iron chelators that are synthesized in bacteria and fungi under conditions of iron deficiency. Siderophores exhibit extraordinarily high complex formation constants for ferric iron with β-values ranging from 1020 to approximately 1050. Fe2+-siderophores are some 20 orders of magnitude less stable than their Fe3+ counterparts. The d5 electronic configuration of Fe3+ rules out any crystal field stabilization energy and makes ferric iron complexes relatively labile with respect to isomerization and ligand exchange. Siderophores display a selectivity for iron that is reflected in the corresponding complex stability constants that are higher with Fe3+ than with Al3+, or with bivalent cations like Ca2+, Cu2+ or Zn2+. Microorganisms excrete desferrisiderophores in order to scavenge iron from the environment. The competition for iron by siderophores, the mechanisms of siderophore uptake through microbial membranes, and the intracellular pathways of siderophore-iron utilization strongly depend on thermodynamic, kinetic, and structural features of the ferric iron siderophore complexes. The structural features of siderophores are diverse. The ligating groups contain oxygen atoms of hydroxamate, catecholate, α-hydroxy carboxylic and salicylic acids, or oxazoline and thiazoline nitrogen. Reduction potentials of ferric siderophore complexes vary between −700 and −150 mV. In particular at the low potential end below −450 mV, special biological strategies of reductive iron removal are required because these potentials are too negative for typical cellular reductases. The coordination and redox chemistry of siderophores is also reflected in the mechanisms of siderophore-mediated iron uptake in microorganisms. A classic example is the intracellular removal of iron from enterobactin. The permeation of cell walls or bacterial membranes by siderophores is in most microbes a highly specific process requiring an array of up to eight proteins. The advent of modern molecular biology delivered a cornucopia of methods enabling high-yield production of specific gene products relevant to siderophore synthesis and transport, analyses of structure-function relationships (employing site directed mutagenesis), and detailed insights into the regulation of the corresponding processes. One siderophore, ferrioxamine B, serves as a detoxifier in iron overload diseases and in the treatment of β-thalassemia. Siderophores and siderophore analogs also play a role in MRI and are employed as basic models for actinide chelators in order to remove these metals from the environment or from a contaminated body. Keywords: siderophore; chromic siderophores; complex formation constants; redox potentials; microbial iron transport; siderophore receptors; infection; medical therapy; actinides

The effects of iron limitation on the electron transport chain of the extremely halophilic Euryarchaeon Halobacterium salinarum were analyzed. When iron was growth-limiting, the respiratory rates as well as the inhibition pattern of the membranes were significantly different from membranes of iron replete cells. Changes in the availability of iron cause the formation of different respiratory pathways including different entry sites for electrons, different terminal oxidases of the respiratory chain, and drastic changes of the cytochrome composition and of the relative amounts of cytochromes. Under iron-limiting conditions, mainly low-potential cytochromes were measured. EPR spectroscopic studies revealed that the amount of proteins containing iron-sulfur clusters is reduced in membranes under iron-limiting growth conditions. Taken together, our results strongly suggest for the first time an important role of iron supply for the bioenergetics of an Archaeon.

An iron-rich protein was isolated from the Archaeon Halobacterium salinarum sharing a sequence identity of 35% with the starvation-induced DNA-binding protein, DpsA, of Synechecoccus sp. PCC 7942. It consists of 20 kDa subunits, forming a dodecameric structure. The protein exhibits a ferric iron loading of up to 103 Fe ions/mol of holoprotein. CD spectra are consistent with an α-helical contribution of 58%. The UV/visible spectrum provides no evidence for the presence of haem groups. This protein exhibits features of a non-haem-type bacterial ferritin although it shares only little sequence homology with non-haem bacterial ferritin.

An iron-rich protein, DpsA Hsal , was isolated from the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum sharing a sequence identity of 35% with the starvation-induced DNA-binding protein, DpsA, of Synechecoccus sp. PCC7942. It consists of 20-kDa subunits forming a dodecameric structure. The protein exhibits a ferric iron loading of up to 100 Fe ions per mole of holoprotein. CD spectra and secondary structure calculations are consistent with an α-helical contribution of 60%. The UV/VIS spectrum provides no evidence for the presence of heme groups. This protein exhibits features of a non-heme type bacterial ferritin (Ftn) although it shares only little sequence homology with Ftn. Molecular modelling disclosed a high structural similarity to E. coli Dps.

Under iron limitation, the plant pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi produces the catechol-type siderophore chrysobactin, which acts as a virulence factor. It can also use enterobactin as a xenosiderophore. We began this work by sequencing the 5'-upstream region of the fct-cbsCEBA operon, which encodes the ferric chrysobactin receptor and proteins involved in synthesis of the catechol moiety. We identified a new iron-regulated gene (cbsH) transcribed divergently relative to the fct gene, the translated sequence of which is 45.6% identical to that of Escherichia coli ferric enterobactin esterase. Insertions within this gene interrupt the chrysobactin biosynthetic pathway by exerting a polar effect on a downstream gene with some sequence identity to the E. coli enterobactin synthase gene. These mutations had no effect on the ability of the bacterium to obtain iron from enterobactin, showing that a functional cbsH gene is not required for iron removal from ferric enterobactin in E. chrysanthemi. The cbsH-negative mutants were less able to utilize ferric chrysobactin, and this effect was not caused by a defect in transport per se. In a nonpolar cbsH-negative mutant, chrysobactin accumulated intracellularly. These defects were rescued by the cbsH gene supplied on a plasmid. The amino acid sequence of the CbsH protein revealed characteristics of the S9 prolyl oligopeptidase family. Ferric chrysobactin hydrolysis was detected in cell extracts from a cbsH-positive strain that was inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate. These data are consistent with the fact that chrysobactin is a d-lysyl-l-serine derivative. Mössbauer spectroscopy of whole cells at various states of (57)Fe-labeled chrysobactin uptake showed that this enzyme is not required for iron removal from chrysobactin in vivo. The CbsH protein may therefore be regarded as a peptidase that prevents the bacterial cells from being intracellularly iron-depleted by chrysobactin.

The mixed functionality pyrazole/phenol ligand (2-hydroxyphenyl)bis(pyrazolyl)methane, L1OH, has been used to prepare a series of linear trimetallic systems with the general structural motif [M(3)(L1O)(4)](2+), where M = Mn(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+). Each of these complexes has been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography giving the following structural parameters: [Zn(3)(L1O)(4)][BF(4)](2).H(2)O, C(52)H(44)N(16)B(2)F(8)O(5)Zn(3), monoclinic, a = 18.572(4) Å, b = 22.400(5) Å, c = 15.921(3), beta = 112.439(8) degrees, space group C2/c, Z = 4; [Cu(3)(L1O)(4)] [BF(4)](2).2MeCN, C(56)H(44)N(18)B(2)Cu(3)F(8)O(4), monoclinic, a = 40.574(2) Å, b = 16.701(1) Å, c = 19.841(2) Å, beta = 111.388(5) degrees, space group C2/c, Z = 8; [Ni(3)(L1O)(4)][ClO(4)](2).MeCN.0.5H(2)O, C(54)H(44)N(17)Cl(2)Ni(3)O(12.5), monoclinic, a = 12.324(4) Å, b = 26.537(2) Å, c = 18.829(3) Å, beta = 102.78(1) degrees, space group C2/c, Z = 4; [Co(3)(L1O)(4)][BF(4)](2).MeCN, C(54)H(44)N(17)B(2)Co(3)F(8)O(4), monoclinic, a = 12.395(2) Å, b = 26.483(3) Å, c = 18.703(4) Å, beta = 103.22(2) degrees, space group C2/c, Z = 4; [Mn(3)(L1O)(4)(MeCN)][ClO(4)](2).1.4MeCN, C(56.68)H(44)N(18.34)Cl(2)Mn(3)O(12), orthorhombic, a = 15.471(2) Å, b = 17.364(2) Å, c = 24.216(2) Å, space group Pbcn, Z = 4. For Zn(2+), Cu(2+), Ni(2+), and Co(2+) the central metal atom of the linear trimetallic [M(3)(L1O)(4)](2+) unit is four coordinate and has a pseudotetrahedral geometry with a dihedral angle, omega, between the two M(central)O(2)M(terminal) planes of 79.9 degrees (Zn), 61.2 degrees (Co), 60.4 degrees (Ni), and 46.8 degrees (Cu). The central Mn(2+) atom of [Mn(3)(L1O)(4)(MeCN)][ClO(4)](2).1.4MeCN is five-coordinate, with a trigonal bipyramidal stereochemistry, the result of an equatorially coordinated MeCN solvent molecule. Variable-temperature magnetic data indicate that the Ni, Cu, and Mn complexes display modest antiferromagnetic coupling between the metal centers, while the Co derivative is strongly ferromagnetically coupled.

The interaction of Fe(3+) with the anthracycline anticancer drug idarubicin (Ida) was studied by absorption, CD, Mossbauer, and EPR spectroscopy. The formation of two major Fe(3+)-Ida complexes, labeled I and II, was observed. In complex I, Fe(3+) ion was bound to anthracycline at the {C(12)=O; C(11)-O(-)} coordination site. In complex II, two Fe(3+) ions were bound at sites {C(5)=O; C(6)-O(-)} and {C(12)=O; C(11)-O(-)}, respectively. Complex I was an equimolar monomeric species with a 1:1 Fe(3+):Ida stoichiometry (beta(1) = 4.8 x 10(11) M(-1)), whereas in complex II the anthracycline ligand was bridging two metal ions, alternatively bound to both anthracycline ring chelating sites with the assumption that the ratio of Fe(3+):Ida in complex II was 2:1 (beta(2) = 5.3 x 10(24) M(-2)). Alternatively, complex II may be oligomeric with Fe(3+):Ida = 1:1 and with each Fe(3+) bridging two Ida molecules. Our findings could be important in understanding the biological effects of the anthracycline-ferric complexes. Thus, providing information about the nature of the Fe(3+)-Ida system, we suggest that the formal 1:3 Fe(3+):anthracycline complexes, reported in the previous literature, could be a mixture of species I, II, and free ligand.

Rhizoferrin is a member of a new class of siderophores (microbial iron transport compounds) based on carboxylate and hydroxy donor groups rather than the commonly encountered hydroxamates and catecholates. We have studied the coordination chemistry of rhizoferrin (Rf), as a representative of this group, with Fe(3+), Rh(3+), Cr(3+), Al(3+), Ga(3+), VO(2+), and Cu(2+). The metal complexes have been studied by UV-vis, CD, NMR, and EPR spectroscopies and mass spectrometry. The formation constants for the iron complex have also been measured and yield a log K(LFe) of 25.3. The Rh and Cr rhizoferrin complexes are unusual in that they appear to adopt a chirality about the metal center that is the opposite of the native iron analog. Several of the alternative metal ion complexes are found to have biological activity toward Morganella morganii in a plate type assay.

Based on in vivo Mössbauer spectroscopy it has previously been demonstrated that the intracellular iron pool of Escherichia coli, grown in iron deficient media supplemented with siderophores as the sole iron source, is dominated by a single Fe2+ and a single Fe3+ species. We have isolated the ferrous ion species and have purified it employing native column PAGE, chromatography and ultrafiltration. The purified compound displays an Mapp of 2.2 kDa and an extremely low isoelectric point (pI) of 1.05. It is shown that this ferrous ion binding compound is neither a protein nor a nucleotide, rather it is composed mainly of phosphorylated sugar derivatives. This compound binds approximately 40% of the cytoplasmic iron. Therefore it is proposed that this oligomeric ferrous carbohydrate phosphate represents the long sought after mobile, low molecular mass iron pool.

Growth and cell fractions of the magnetic bacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense were studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy. In isolated magnetosomes only magnetite particles were observed. The membrane fraction of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense contains a ferritin-like component and a Fe2+ species and also magnetite particles smaller than those observed in the magnetosomes fraction. In the cytosol only ferritin was identified.

The interaction of the antitumor agent daunomycin (DN) with ferric iron has been analysed by Mössbauer spectroscopy, EPR, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and magnetic susceptibility measurements. In contrast to literature data, at millimolar iron and anthracycline concentrations no solitary Fe(DN)3 complexes are formed in appreciable amounts. The Mössbauer spectroscopic analysis revealed severe dependencies on temperature, on the preparation procedure, the time allowed for equilibration, and on the metal/ligand ratio. The Mössbauer spectra exhibit two components: a broad magnetic sextet and a quadrupole doublet at an Fe/DN molar ratio of 1:3 and exclusively a doublet at a molar ratio of 1:20, indicating an equilibrium of these two spectral components. The EPR spectra are dominated by a signal at g(eff) = 2. Double integration of the EPR signals enabled the determination of their spin density and a correlation between EPR and Mössbauer spectra. The Mössbauer sextet species is EPR invisible and corresponds to magnetically ordered polynuclear aggregates with high magnetic anisotropy. EXAFS and susceptibility measurements provide additional evidence for the formation of polynuclear aggregates of ferric daunomycin. The quadrupole doublet species in the Mössbauer spectra correlates with the g = 2 signal in EPR. This species is also related to a magnetically ordered system, exhibiting, however, superparamagnetic behavior due to less magnetic anisotropy. Since daunomycin forms dimers in aqueous solution at millimolar concentrations, we conclude that the cooperative phenomena observed in EPR and Mössbauer spectra are a consequence of its stacking effects.