Physiological role of phosphatidylcholine in the Pseudomonas putida A ATCC 12633 response to tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide and aluminium

• Published in: Letters in applied microbiology Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 491 - 496
• Main Authors: Boeris, P.S, Liffourrena, A.S, Salvano, M.A, Lucchesi, G.I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: aluminium; aluminum; Aluminum Compounds - pharmacology; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; cationic surfactant; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Phosphatidylcholines - chemistry; Phosphatidylcholines - metabolism; phospholipids; Pseudomonas putida; Pseudomonas putida - chemistry; Pseudomonas putida - drug effects; Pseudomonas putida - enzymology; Pseudomonas putida - metabolism; Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups) - metabolism; Trimethyl Ammonium Compounds - pharmacology; Pseudomonadales; Applied microbiology; Cationic surfactant; Phosphatidylcholine; Phospholipid; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Aluminium; Physiology; phospholipids; Pseudomonas putida
• ISSN: 0266-8254; 1472-765X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2009.02699.x

To evaluate the effect of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) and aluminium stresses on the phospholipid (PL) composition of Pseudomonas putida A ATCC 12633. Pseudomonas putida were grown with TTAB in the presence or absence of AlCl₃, and the PL composition was analysed. The presence of TTAB resulted in an increase in phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid levels (6- and 20-fold, respectively) with respect to the levels in cells grown without the surfactant. With AlCl₃, phosphatidylcholine (PC) increased (threefold) and cell-free extracts contained approximately threefold more phosphatidylcholine synthase activities than extracts without AlCl₃, indicating that the PC level is dependent upon activation of this enzyme. The negative charges of the headgroups of PL are the primary membrane-associated factors for the response to TTAB. PC are involved in cellular responses to binding Al³⁺ and should be viewed as a temporary reservoir of available Al³⁺ to allow a more efficient utilization of TTAB by Ps. putida. The changes in the PL of Ps. putida in the presence of TTAB and AlCl₃ indicate that different responses are utilized by bacteria to maintain optimal PL composition in the presence of such environmental pollutants.