Siderophore production and utilization by milk spoilage Pseudomonas species

Abstract

Many bacteria respond to potentially growth-limiting availability of iron by producing low-molecular-weight iron chelators (siderophores). The aim of this work was to examine the siderophores synthesized and utilized by Pseudomonas spp. implicated in milk spoilage. Twenty isolates of Pseudomonas spp. previously shown to have significant milk spoilage potential were tested for the ability to produce siderophores. Of these, 14 produced pyoverdin and 2 of these also produced pyochelin; 1 produced only pyochelin; 1 produced only salicylate; 2 produced non-pyoverdin, hydroxamate-containing siderophore; and 2 produced chrome azurol sulfonate reactive material that was neither pyoverdin nor pyochelin. There was considerable diversity among the pyoverdins produced. All isolates were shown to utilize iron complexed with exogenous pyoverdin, but usage of particular exogenous pyoverdins differed among isolates. Interference with the iron-uptake systems of the Pseudomonas spp. may be a means by which food spoilage can be slowed, and the pyoverdin system would appear to be a potential target. However, given the diversity of pyoverdins produced and utilized, and the presence of other siderophores, successful interference with bacterial iron acquisition in this context may be challenging.