Siderophore-mediated iron acquisition in the entomopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas entomophila L48 and its close relative Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Pseudomonas entomophila L48 is a recently identified entomopathogenic bacterium which, upon ingestion, kills Drosophila melanogaster, and is closely related to P. putida. The complete genome of this species has been sequenced and therefore a genomic, genetic and structural analysis of the siderophore-mediated iron acquisition was undertaken. P. entomophila produces two siderophores, a structurally new and unique pyoverdine and the secondary siderophore pseudomonine, already described in P. fluorescens species. Structural analysis of the pyoverdine produced by the closely related P. putida KT2440 showed that this strain produces an already characterised pyoverdine, but different from P. entomophila, and no evidence was found for the production of a second siderophore. Growth stimulation assays with heterologous pyoverdines demonstrated that P. entomophila is able to utilize a large variety of structurally distinct pyoverdines produced by other Pseudomonas species. In contrast, P. putida KT2440 is able to utilize only its own pyoverdine and the pyoverdine produced by P. syringae LMG 1247. Our data suggest that although closely related, P. entomophila is a more efficient competitor for iron than P. putida.