Characterization of Pyoverdinpss, the Fluorescent Siderophore Produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B301D produces a yellow-green, fluorescent siderophore, pyoverdinpss, in large quantities under iron-limited growth conditions. Maximum yields of pyoverdinpss of approximately 50 μg/ml occurred after 24 h of incubation in a deferrated synthetic medium. Increasing increments of Fe(III) coordinately repressed siderophore production until repression was complete at concentrations of ≥ 10 μM. Pyoverdinpss was isolated, chemically characterized, and found to resemble previously characterized pyoverdins in spectral traits (absorbance maxima of 365 and 410 nm for pyoverdinpss and its ferric chelate, respectively), size (1,175 molecular weight), and amino acid composition. Nevertheless, pyoverdinpss was structurally unique since amino acid analysis of reductive hydrolysates yielded β-hydroxyaspartic acid, serine, threonine, and lysine in a 2:2:2:1 ratio. Pyoverdinpss exhibited a relatively high affinity constant for Fe(III), with values of 1025 at pH 7.0 and 1032 at pH 10.0. Iron uptake assays with [55Fe]pyoverdinpss demonstrated rapid active uptake of 55Fe(III) by P. syringae pv. syringae B301D, while no uptake was observed for a mutant strain unable to acquire Fe(III) from ferric pyoverdinpss. The chemical and biological properties of pyoverdinpss are discussed in relation to virulence and iron uptake during plant pathogenesis.