Ferritins, bacterial virulence and plant defence

Biometals. 2007 Jun;20(3-4):347-53. doi: 10.1007/s10534-006-9069-0. Epub 2007 Jan 10.

Abstract

The enterobacterial pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi causes soft rot diseases on a wide range of plants, including the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This bacterium proliferates in the host by secreting a set of pectin degrading enzymes responsible for symptom development. In addition, survival of this bacterium in planta requires two high-affinity iron acquisition systems mediated by siderophores and protective systems against oxidative damages, suggesting the implication by both partners of accurate mechanisms controlling their iron homeostasis under conditions of infection. In this review, we address this question and we show that ferritins both from the pathogen and the host are subtly implicated in the control of this interplay.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Arabidopsis / cytology
  • Arabidopsis / immunology*
  • Arabidopsis / microbiology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Dickeya chrysanthemi / pathogenicity*
  • Ferritins / genetics
  • Ferritins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Iron / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Ferritins
  • Iron