title: Iron supply of staphylococci and of micrococci by alpha-ketoacids.
abstract: Most of 232 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) belonging to 16 species, and nine strains of micrococci belonging to four species, could be distinguished by their growth on an iron-poor nutrient medium. alpha-Keto-/alpha-hydroxyacids, as primary metabolites, facilitated iron supply to CNS and micrococci under various iron-limited conditions, as detected by different bioassay methods. Twelve selected CNS strains and two micrococcal strains produced significant amounts of alpha-ketoacids in iron-poor liquid nutrient media. In particular, strains of Staphylococcus cohnii, S. xylosus and S. lentus unable to grow on iron-poor media, produced high amounts of pyruvic acid and alpha-ketoglutaric acid. In bioassays, the selected CNS strains being siderophore indicator strains were fed with alpha-ketoacids at different levels of iron limitation. Strains able to grow under iron deprivation appeared to produce additional siderophores such as staphyloferrins under iron stress. alpha-Keto-/alpha-hydroxyacids may be additionally active in the iron supply of CNS and micrococci.
authors.affiliation: Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heuck
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reissbrodt
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D003470:Culture Media; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007651:Keto Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D008837:Micrococcus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000378:metabolism; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007651:Keto Acids; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; D011773:Pyruvates; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D007501:Iron