Iron chelates hitch a ride on PAT1

The nicotianamine-iron chelate [NA-Fe(2+)], which is found in many plant-based foods, has been recently described as a new form of bioavailable iron in mice and chickens. How NA-Fe(2+) is assimilated from the diet, however, remains unclear. The current investigation by Murata et al. has identified the proton-coupled amino acid transporter 1 (PAT1) as the main mechanism by which NA-Fe(2+) is absorbed in the mammalian intestine. Discovery of this new form of dietary iron and elucidation of its pathway of intestinal absorption may lead to the development of improved iron supplementation approaches.