Siderophores classification

Obviously siderophores can be potent virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria. Siderophores in many cases have elaborate structures providing recognition only by the receptor site of the producing species. This renders a pirating by competing microorganisms more difficult. The structural specificities of siderophores have been used for classification purposes of bacterial species (see especially pyoverdins, Sect. 2.1). 

The presence of siderophores in a medium may be shown by adding an iron(III) salt, as complex formation will be demonstrated by the colour of the Feni-siderophore complex, due to charge-transfer bands in the visible region. Chemical and spectroscopic tests allow ready classification into catecholate and hydroxamate types, for example the use of the Arnow and Czaky colorimetric reactions, respectively.1172... 

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