Pulcherriminic acid modulates iron availability and protects against oxidative stress during microbial interactions.

Siderophores are soluble or membrane-embedded molecules that bind the oxidized form of iron, Fe(III), and play roles in iron acquisition by microorganisms. Fe(III)-bound siderophores bind to specific receptors that allow microbes to acquire iron. However, certain soil microbes release a compound (pulcherriminic acid, PA) that, upon binding to Fe(III), forms a precipitate (pulcherrimin) that apparently functions by reducing iron availability rather than contributing to iron acquisition. Here, we use Bacillus subtilis (PA producer) and Pseudomonas protegens as a competition model to show that PA is involved in a peculiar iron-managing system. The presence of the competitor induces PA production, leading to precipitation of Fe(III) as pulcherrimin, which prevents oxidative stress in B. subtilis by restricting the Fenton reaction and deleterious ROS formation. In addition, B. subtilis uses its known siderophore bacillibactin to retrieve Fe(III) from pulcherrimin. Our findings indicate that PA plays multiple roles by modulating iron availability and conferring protection against oxidative stress during inter-species competition.

Study of the Reactivity of [Hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene Toward Enol Esters to Access α-Tosyloxy Ketones.

The reactivity of enol esters toward [hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene (HTIB) was assessed. These substrates were found to be rapidly converted in high yields to their corresponding α-tosyloxy ketones. This transformation demonstrates that these substrates can act as ketone surrogates. The scope of the method was investigated and aromatic, aliphatic, and cyclic enol esters were found to be suitable substrates for the reaction. The relative reactivity of a model substrate toward HTIB and m-CPBA was investigated, and it was found that the reaction could be performed under catalytic conditions.