Akkermansia muciniphila Muc^T harnesses dietary polyphenols as xenosiderophores for enhanced iron uptake.

ABSTRACT: Dietary proanthocyanidins (PACs) are polyphenols that promote a healthy gut microbiome. PACs are notable for their rich catechol moieties with high affinity for iron, enabling them to interfere with pathogens' iron uptake. PACs selectively increase the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, a symbiont known for supporting metabolic and immune health. We discovered that A. muciniphila Muc^T utilizes distinct iron-acquisition systems to take up iron sequestered by PACs, supporting its metabolic activity. Integrative proteomics and transcriptomics revealed that A. muciniphila has an active catechol-type siderophore-mediated iron uptake (Fe³⁺) system, involving membrane ATP-binding cassette transporters and lipocalins. Simultaneously, the expression of ferrous iron (Fe

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez-Daza MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12552655 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature