Studies of iron transport in wheat using synthetic phytosiderophores

Synthetic phytosiderophores based on deoxydistichonic acid A have been made. The molecules synthesized so far include deoxydistichonic acid A itself (designated PS1), a more hydrophobic isobutyl derivative (PS2), an acidic analogue (PS3), and a basic analogue (PS4). Both PS1 and PS2 have been shown to promote the uptake of 59Fe into iron‐deficient wheat and the rates of uptake are comparable to those measured with the natural phytosiderophore, 2 ‐deoxymugineic acid (DMA). Rates of uptake were maximal after about 12–14 d of iron deprivation and variability between experiments was decreased when such young plants were used. These synthetic compounds and other structural analogues will be used to study the structure‐function relations of phytosiderophores, and to affinity label the transporter molecule.