title: Iron uptake is essential for Escherichia coli survival in drinking water.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to elucidate if the need for iron for Escherichia coli to remain cultivable in a poorly nutritive medium such as the drinking water uses the iron transport system via the siderophores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Environmental strains of E. coli (isolated from a drinking water network), referenced strains of E. coli and mutants deficient in TonB, an essential protein for iron(III) acquisition, were incubated for 3 weeks at 25 degrees C, in sterile drinking water with and without lepidocrocite (gamma-FeOOH), an insoluble iron corrosion product. Only cells with a functional iron transport system were able to survive throughout the weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The iron transport system via protein TonB plays an essential role on the survival of E. coli in a weakly nutritive medium like drinking water.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iron is a key parameter involved in coliform persistence in drinking water distribution systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie Pour l'Environnement (LCPME), rue de Vandoeuvre, Villers-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grandjean
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jorand
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guilloteau
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Block
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D017262:Siderophores / Q000378:metabolism; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017262:Siderophores; C489181:tonB protein, E coli; D007501:Iron