A member of this family has been identified in Staphylococcus aureus as a dehydrogenase involved in the synthesis of a new metallophore,named staphylopine. It is encoded as part of an operon that also includes an histidine racemase and an enzyme distantly related to nicotianamine synthase [1]. Staphylopine is involved in metal acquisition, chelating nickel, cobalt, zinc, copper or iron, depending on the growing conditions. Metal acquisition is vital for bacteria growing in metal-scarce environments, such as inside a host in the case of pathogens.

1: Biosynthesis of a broad-spectrum nicotianamine-like metallophore in Staphylococcus aureus. Ghssein G, Brutesco C, Ouerdane L, Fojcik C, Izaute A, Wang S, Hajjar C, Lobinski R, Lemaire D, Richaud P, Voulhoux R, Espaillat A, Cava F, Pignol D, Borezee-Durant E, Arnoux P; Science. 2016;352:1105-1109. PMID:27230378