title: Novel phospholipase A activity secreted by Legionella species.
abstract: Bacterial phospholipases are regarded as a major virulence factor in infection. In bacteria associated with pneumonia, destruction of lung surfactant and host cell membranes by bacterial phospholipases secreted during infection is thought to contribute to the disease. Phospholipase C (PLC) activity has been described in several Legionella species (W. B. Baine, J. Gen. Microbiol. 134:489-498, 1988; W. B. Baine, J. Gen. Microbiol. 131:1383-1391, 1985). By using detection methods such as thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry, PLC activity could not be detected in several strains of Legionella pneumophila. Instead, phospholipid degradation was identified to be caused by a novel PLA activity. We could demonstrate that PLA secretion starts at the mid-exponential-growth phase when bacteria were grown in liquid culture. Several Legionella species secreted different amounts of PLA. Legionella PLA may act as a powerful agent in the mediation of pathogenicity due to destruction of lung surfactant and epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Transfusionsmedizin, D-72076 Tübingen, Bonn, Germany. antje.flieger@uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flieger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faigle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deeg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neumeister
mesh_terms: D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D007875:Legionella / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010743:Phospholipids; D010741:Phospholipases A