Histoplasma capsulatum utilizes siderophores for intracellular iron acquisition in macrophages

Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungal pathogen that survives and replicates within macrophages (M phi I center dot). Studies in human and murine M phi I center dot demonstrate that the intracellular growth of H. capsulatum yeasts is exquisitely sensitive to the availability of iron. As H. capsulatum produces hydroxamate siderophores, we sought to determine if siderophores were required for intracellular survival in M phi I center dot, and in a murine model of pulmonary histoplasmosis. The expression of SID1 (coding for L-ornithine-N