Recent advances in metallophore research uncover functions in quorum sensing, antimicrobial activity, and lanthanide acquisition

Abstract

Metallophores are metal-chelating secondary metabolites that bacteria, fungi, and other organisms produce to acquire essential metal nutrients from their environment. This review highlights some recent discoveries in the field: the role of yersiniabactin in quorum sensing, the capacity of aspergillomarasmine A to inhibit bacterial Ni uptake, and the identification of methylolanthanin, a novel metallophore that enables bacterial lanthanide acquisition.