Siderophores are bacterial proteins that compete with the host's

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Siderophores are bacterial proteins that are produced to scavenge iron, which is necessary for bacterial growth and replication. They do this by binding to iron that is already bound to host iron-transport proteins such as transferrin or lactoferrin, and then stealing the iron away from the host. Therefore, siderophores compete with host iron-transport proteins, not with antibodies, receptors, red blood cells, or white blood cells.

Siderophores Are Bacterial Proteins That Compete with the Host's