Microbial Siderophores in Metal Detoxification and Therapeutics: Recent Prospective and Applications

Siderophores are small molecular weight metal scavengers which are released by plants, plant growth-promoting bacterial strains and fungi into the rhizosphere. These molecules have been widely reported as Fe3+ carriers under poor iron ion mobilization; however, recently they are being exposed for affinity towards other metal ions such as copper, zinc, etc. highlighting their phytoremedial potential. They are also effective anti-pathogenic agents, important signals towards oxidative stress and new age therapeutics. To understand the mechanism by which these moieties solubilize metal ions at both genetic and protein levels is the crux of our studies as these are extremely versatile molecules having myriad applications in the fields of agriculture, physiology, drug therapy, diagnosis, etc. Additionally, this paper also covers the biosynthesis and classification of microbial siderophores and their roles in plant and animal physiology.