Enterobactin: the characteristic catecholate siderophore of Enterobacteriaceae is produced by Streptomyces species

Enterobactin is described in the literature as the typical iron-chelating compound (siderophore) produced by bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. In the course of a HPLC with diode array detection screening programme for detection of novel secondary metabolites, enterobactin, its biosynthetic precursor 2,3-dihydroxy-N-benzoylserine and its linear dimer and trimer condensation products were found to be produced by two Streptomyces strains besides the trihydroxamate-type siderophores desferri-ferrioxamine B and E. (C) 2001 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.