Exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) impact membrane remodeling and affect virulence phenotypes among pathogenic Vibrio species.

Exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) impact membrane remodeling and affect virulence phenotypes among pathogenic Vibrio species. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2017 Sep 01;: Authors: Moravec AR, Siv AW, Hobby CR, Lindsay EN, Norbash LV, Shults DJ, Symes SJK, Giles DK Abstract The pathogenic Vibrio species (cholerae, parahaemolyticus and vulnificus) represent a constant threat to human health, causing food-borne and skin wound infections as a result of ingestion or exposure to contaminated water and seafood. Recent studies have highlighted Vibrio's ability to acquire fatty acids from environmental sources and assimilate them into cell membranes. The possession and conservation of such machinery provokes consideration of fatty acids as important factors in the pathogenic lifestyle of Vibrio species. The findings herein link exogenous fatty acid exposure to changes in bacterial membrane phospholipid structure, permeability, phenotypes associated with virulence and consequent stress responses that may impact survival and persistence of pathogenic Vibrio species. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (ranging in carbon length and unsaturation) supplied in growth medium were assimilated into bacterial phospholipids, as determined by thin-layer chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The incorporation of fatty acids variably affected membrane permeability as judged by uptake of the hydrophobic compound crystal violet. Fo...
Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Appl Environ Microbiol Source Type: research