title: Iron and bacterial virulence--a brief overview.
abstract: Iron is now recognized as playing a vital role in infection. Not only does it restricted availability in tissue fluids present microbial pathogens with the problem of acquiring sufficient for multiplication in vivo, but it also constitutes a major environmental signal which co-ordinately regulates the expression of a number of virulence and metabolic genes. Progress in understanding the strategies used by pathogens for acquiring iron in vivo, and their responses to iron restriction, is providing a fresh insight into microbial pathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D017262:Siderophores; D014774:Virulence / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D017262:Siderophores; D006418:Heme; D007501:Iron