The biogenesis of iron–sulphur clusters requires the co-ordinated delivery of both iron and sulphur. It is now clear that sulphur in iron–sulphur clusters is derived from L-cysteine by cysteine desulphurases. However, the iron donor for the iron–sulphur cluster assembly still remains elusive. Our previous studies indicated that Escherichia coli IscA, a member of the iron–sulphur cluster assembly machinery, is an iron-binding protein that can provide iron for the iron–sulphur cluster assembly in a proposed scaffold IscU. To determine how the iron centre in IscA is transferred for the iron–sulphur cluster assembly in IscU, we explore the mobility of the iron centre in IscA. The UV–visible and EPR measurements show that L-cysteine, but not IscU, is able to mobilize the iron centre in IscA and make the iron available for the iron–sulphur cluster assembly in IscU. Other related biological thiols such as N-acetyl-L-cysteine or reduced glutathione have no effect on the iron centre of IscA, suggesting that L-cysteine is unique in mobilizing the iron centre of IscA. Nevertheless, L-cysteine alone is not sufficient to transfer the iron from IscA to IscU. Both L-cysteine and cysteine desulphurase (IscS) are required for the IscA-mediated assembly of iron–sulphur clusters in IscU. The results suggest that L-cysteine may have two distinct functions in the biogenesis of iron–sulphur clusters: to mobilize the iron centre in IscA and to provide sulphur via cysteine desulphurase (IscS) for the iron–sulphur cluster assembly in IscU.