[Demonstration of iron transport activity in Pasteurella multocida cultures]

It has been established that Pasteurella multocida cultures possess pronounced iron transport activities to accumulate the iron necessary for growth. Experiments with Fe-59 confirmed that the bacterial cells are able to acquire iron without direct contact from high molecular iron substrates, such as iron dextrane, ferritine or transferrine. Microbial siderophores of the hydroxamate and phenolate types, such as desferrioxamin B and enterobactine as well as other iron chelators (phenanthroline, citrate and nitrilotriacetate) decrease the bacterial cell growth or iron incorporation and are not relevant for iron transport in P. multocida. The direct analytical identification of siderophores using the reactions by Csaky (hydroxamate type) and Arnow (phenolate type) has proved unsuccessful. The importance of the mannan cell wall polysaccharide is discussed with respect to the iron transport. Thus in terms of iron accumulation, P. multocida is similar to Yersinia, which also possess an efficient transport system for iron not involving siderophores.