Extracellular zinc induces phosphoethanolamine addition to Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipid A via the ColRS two-component system.

ABSTRACT: Gram-negative bacteria survive harmful environmental stressors by modifying their outer membrane. Much of this protection is afforded upon remodeling of the lipid A region of the major surface molecule lipopolysaccharide (LPS). For example, the addition of cationic substituents, such as 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose (L-Ara4N) and phosphoehthanolamine (pEtN) at the lipid A phosphate groups, is often induced in response to specific environmental flux stabilizing the outer membrane. The work herein represents the first report of pEtN addition to Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipid A. We have identified the key pEtN transferase which we named EptAPa and characterized its strict activity on only one position of lipid A, contrasting from previously studied EptA enzymes. We further show that transcription

SUBMITTER: Nowicki EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4715879 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature