Siderophores as One Health Allies
Researchers from the Kümmerli Lab at DQBM, together with collaborators in China, outline the multifaceted role of microbial siderophores within the One Health framework. These iron-chelating molecules support crop growth, assist in remediating heavy metal pollution, and can both prevent and treat infections by manipulating microbial iron availability. The authors propose strategies to harness siderophores in agriculture, bioremediation, and medicine, including engineering microbial communities and developing siderophore-based therapeutics. They also identify key research questions, from optimizing iron-biofortifying cocktails for crops to designing precision medicine approaches against pathogens.
Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2025.05.002