Implication of glycerol and phospholipid transporters in Mycoplasma pneumoniae growth and virulence.

ABSTRACT: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the causative agent of atypical pneumonia, is one of the bacteria with the smallest genomes that are nonetheless capable of independent life. Because of their longstanding close association with their human host, the bacteria have undergone reductive evolution and lost most biosynthetic abilities. Therefore, they depend on nutrients provided by the host that have to be taken up by the cell. Indeed, M. pneumoniae has a large set of hitherto unexplored transporters and lipoproteins that may be implicated in transport processes. Together, these proteins account for about 17% of the protein complement of M. pneumoniae. In the natural habitat of M. pneumoniae, human lung epithelial surfaces, phospholipids are the major available carbon source. Thus, the uptake and utiliza

SUBMITTER: Großhennig S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3584876 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature