Preparation of S-iron-enriched yeast using siderophores and its effect on iron deficiency anemia in rats

• A novel method for preparing iron enriched yeast using siderophores from high iron environment microorganisms was optimized. • The iron enrichment of S-iron-enriched yeast increased approximately twice that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . • Our rat experiment suggests that the S-iron-enriched yeast may be applied as supplementation or food fortification. • The strategy used in this work provides a new perspective for preparation of organic trace elements including zinc and copper. Efforts to obtain organic trace elements have been made, including yeast enrichment and transformation, but the application of yeast for this purpose is restricted by poor tolerance and low enrichment. Siderophores play an important role in iron transport. Thus, the role of siderophores in iron transport under high-iron conditions and the application of siderophores in the enrichment of elements was explored. The results showed that some siderophores from iron-tolerant strains promoted yeast growth and increased its intracellular iron content. Among them, siderophore TZT-12 (from LK1110) was the best for promoting yeast growth and iron conversion. The siderophore-iron-enriched yeast (S-iron-enriched yeast) effectively restored the iron concentration, and an iron concentration of 59.40 mg/g was obtained by adding TZT-12. Iron deficiency anemia in rats was significantly mitigated with S-iron-enriched yeast compared with ferrous sulfate. These findings provide a new perspective on the preparation of organic trace elements for supplementation or food fortification.