Iron Homeostasis in <i>Azotobacter vinelandii</i>

Abstract

Iron is an essential nutrient for all life forms. Specialized mechanisms exist in bacteria to ensure iron uptake and its delivery to key enzymes within the cell, while preventing toxicity. Iron uptake and exchange networks must adapt to the different environmental conditions, particularly those that require the biosynthesis of multiple iron proteins, such as nitrogen fixation. In this review, we outline the mechanisms that the model diazotrophic bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii uses to ensure iron nutrition and how it adapts Fe metabolism to diazotrophic growth.

Keywords

• biological nitrogen fixation
• nitrogenase
• iron–sulfur cluster
• iron transport
• iron nutrition