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Journal of Bacteriology, March 2000, p. 1321-1327, Vol. 182, No. 5
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Novel Phospholipase A Activity Secreted by Legionella Species

Antje Flieger,1,* Shimei Gong,1,2,3 Marion Faigle,1 Martin Deeg,4 Peter Bartmann,5 and Birgid Neumeister1

Abteilung für Transfusionsmedizin1 and Medizinische Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik,4 Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, and Abteilung Neonatologie, Kinderklinik der Universität Bonn, Bonn,5 Germany; Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Changping, Beijing 102206, Peoples Republic of China2; and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 405363

Received 1 September 1999/Accepted 19 November 1999

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.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Abteilung für Transfusionsmedizin, Zentrum für Medizinische Forschung des Universitätsklinikums Tübingen, Waldhörnlestr. 22, D-72072 Tübingen, Germany. Phone: 49-7071-2981127. Fax: 49-7071-295142. E-mail: antje.flieger{at}uni-tuebingen.de.

Journal of Bacteriology, March 2000, p. 1321-1327, Vol. 182, No. 5
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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