Iron in Plant–Pathogen Interactions

Infectious diseases are the result of competitive relationships between a host organism and a pathogen. In host vertebrate–microbe interactions, the acquisition of iron for the essential metabolism of pathogenic organisms and the need of the host to bind and sequestrate the metal are central issues. Plants are also confronted with a wide variety of pathogenic microorganisms that can be highly devastating and compromise crop production. Investigated in a few cases in the past, the mechanisms involved in exchanging and withholding iron during plant– microbe interactions are becoming an emerging topic. This chapter surveys the wealth of information illustrating the role of iron acquisition, toxicity, and homeostasis in relevant pathosystem models of agricultural importance. There is now evidence that phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi can use siderophores and other iron uptake systems to multiply in the host and to promote infection. Moreover, plant can develop an iron-withholding response that changes iron distribution and trafficking during infection. Elucidating the mechanisms of competition for iron between plants and pathogens must help to develop innovative strategies for controlling diseases. D. Expert (&) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire Interactions Plantes-Pathogènes, AgroParisTech, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005 Paris, France e-mail: [email protected] T. Franza Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire Interactions Plantes-Pathogènes, AgroParisTech, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005 Paris, France e-mail: [email protected] A. Dellagi Département Sciences de la Vie et Santé, Laboratoire Interactions Plantes-Pathogènes, AgroParisTech, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005 Paris, France e-mail: [email protected] D. Expert and M. R. O’Brian (eds.), Molecular Aspects of Iron Metabolism in Pathogenic and Symbiotic Plant–Microbe Associations, SpringerBriefs in Biometals, DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5267-2_2, The Author(s) 2012 7