Iron is an essential element for all microorganisms. Siderophores are low-weight, high-affinity iron chelating molecules produced in response to iron deficiency by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria which also known as essential virulence factors of bacteria. Several studies have indicated that defective production and/or function of these molecules as well as iron acquisition systems in pathogens are associated with a reduction in pathogenicity of bacteria. Because of their potential role in various biological pathways, siderophores have been received special attention as secondary metabolites. Siderophores can detect iron levels in a variety of environments with a biosensor function. In medicine, siderophores are used to deliver antibiotics (Trojan horse strategy) to resistant bacteria and to treat diseases such as cancer and malaria. In this review, we discuss the iron acquisition pathways in Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, importance of siderophore production in pathogenesis of bacteria, classification of siderophores, and main applications of siderophores in medicine and industry.

铁是所有微生物的必需元素。铁载体是为响应革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌缺铁而产生的低重量、高亲和力的铁螯合分子，也称为细菌的基本毒力因子。几项研究表明，这些分子的生产和/或功能以及病原体中铁获取系统的缺陷与细菌致病性的降低有关。由于它们在各种生物途径中的潜在作用，铁载体作为次级代谢物受到了特别关注。铁载体可以通过生物传感器功能检测各种环境中的铁含量。在医学上，铁载体用于向耐药细菌输送抗生素（特洛伊木马策略）并治疗癌症和疟疾等疾病。