A pyoverdine-type metallophore is required for lanthanide-dependent growth in Psuedomonas putida KT2440
This study aims to investigate the biological mechanisms of lanthanide uptake in soil bacteria, a process critical for understanding bacterial carbon and alcohol metabolism. While lanthanides have recently emerged as essential cofactors for certain bacterial enzymes, the precise pathways through which bacteria acquire these rare-earth elements from their environment remain poorly defined. Utilizing a prominent soil bacterium as a model organism, this research characterizes the role of specialized iron-chelating metallophores in facilitating lanthanide uptake and supporting growth dependent on these elements. By defining how these molecules and their associated membrane transport systems participate in metal acquisition, this work establishes a novel physiological function for classical bacterial chelators in lanthanide-dependent metabolism, contributing broader insights into microbial ecology, nutrient cycling, and biological metal utilization.