The Interaction of Chelating Agents with Bacteria

The interaction of solutions containing oxine or iron or both (in a 1:1 molar ratio) with Staph, aureus is examined with respect to the chelating agent and metal ion binding by the bacteria. Iron enhances the amount of oxine uptake by the organism although the presence of the chelating agent does not affect the amount of iron bound. Iron is shown to be present in the ferric state in dilute solutions containing oxine. Two types of iron receptor sites in the bacterial surface are postulated and iron is shown to mediate oxine binding by the bacteria.