Abstract 1089 Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA1790 is a novel heme-degrading ferritin family hydroxylase

Iron is essential for almost all life forms, from plants to bacteria and animals. It is used as a necessary cofactor in many proteins, and is required for electron shuttling in iron sulfur clusters. However, iron's ability to donate electrons for essential metabolic processes can also generate oxidative DNA- and cell-damaging free radicals through the Fenton reaction. As such, bacteria have developed many strategies for the cyclical acquisition, storage, and release of iron; and given their long evolutionary timespan there have been many iterations of the proteins involved in the acquisition, storage, and release of cellular iron.