Clostridioides difficile utilizes siderophores as an iron source and FhuDBGC contributes to ferrichrome uptake

This study is the first example of growing with siderophores as the sole iron source and describes the characterization of the ferric hydroxamate uptake ABC transporter (FhuDBGC). This transporter shows specificity to the siderophore ferrichrome. While not required for pathogenesis, this transporter highlights the redundancy in iron acquisition mechanisms that uses to compete for iron during an infection.