Iron acquisition and virulence in the motile aeromonads: siderophore-dependent and -independent systems

During an infection, a microbial pathogen must acquire all of its iron from the host. Aeromonas isolated producing the siderophore amonabactin obtain iron either from host Fe-transferrin (siderophore dependent) or from host heme-containing molecules (siderophore independent). Isolates producing the siderophore enterobactin do not utilize Fe-transferrin in serum and probably rely exclusively on host heme iron.