Influence of iron on growth, morphology, outer membrane protein composition, and synthesis of siderophores in Campylobacter jejuni.

Three human isolates of Campylobacter jejuni were grown in a biphasic culture medium with and without the addition of a synthetic chelator to induce iron limitation. Cells grown in low-iron medium exhibited slower growth rates and altered cellular morphology. Increased numbers of longer, more filamentous forms were seen in Gram-stained smears. Three proteins, with apparent Mrs of 82,000, 76,000, and 74,000, were consistently present in the outer membrane of cells grown in low-iron medium. At least one of these proteins (76,000 to 74,000) was exposed on the cell surface. A bioassay was used to look for the production of siderophores by these and other strains of C. jejuni. Seven of 26 strains tested produced detectable amounts of siderophores. Growing strains at 42 degrees C failed to suppress siderophore synthesis or to alter the outer membrane protein profiles of iron-starved cells. The ability of three strains to utilize exogenously supplied siderophores for growth in low-iron medium was also examined. All three strains were able to utilize enterochelin and ferrichrome, but none utilized aerobactin, rhodotorulic acid, or desferrioxamine B. The effect of iron on the virulence of C. jejuni for 11-day-old chicken embryos inoculated via the chorioallantoic membrane was also determined.