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Journal of Bacteriology, December 2008, p. 8197-8203, Vol. 190, No. 24
0021-9193/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01069-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Phosphatidylethanolamine Synthesis Is Required for Optimal Virulence of Brucella abortus{triangledown}

Lucas Bukata,1 Silvia Altabe,2 Diego de Mendoza,2 Rodolfo A. Ugalde,1 and Diego J. Comerci1,3*

Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martín, CONICET, San Martín 1650, Buenos Aires, Argentina,1 Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario and Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, S2002LRK, Rosario, Argentina,2 Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, División Agropecuaria, Centro Atómico Ezeiza 1804, Buenos Aires, Argentina3

Received 30 July 2008/ Accepted 1 October 2008

The Brucella cell envelope contains the zwitterionic phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Synthesis of PC occurs exclusively via the PC synthase pathway, implying that the pathogen depends on the choline synthesized by the host cell to form PC. Notably, PC is necessary to sustain a chronic infection process, which suggests that the membrane lipid content is relevant for Brucella virulence. In this study we investigated the first step of PE biosynthesis in B. abortus, which is catalyzed by phosphatidylserine synthase (PssA). Disruption of pssA abrogated the synthesis of PE without affecting the growth in rich complex medium. In minimal medium, however, the mutant required choline supplementation for growth, suggesting that at least PE or PC is necessary for Brucella viability. The absence of PE altered cell surface properties, but most importantly, it impaired several virulence traits of B. abortus, such as intracellular survival in both macrophages and HeLa cells, the maturation of the replicative Brucella-containing vacuole, and mouse colonization. These results suggest that membrane phospholipid composition is critical for the interaction of B. abortus with the host cell.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (IIB- UNSAM). Av. Gral. Paz 5445, INTI, Ed. 24. San Martín (1650), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone: (54-11) 4580 7255. Fax: (54-11) 4752 9639. E-mail: dcomerci{at}iib.unsam.edu.ar

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 17 October 2008.

Journal of Bacteriology, December 2008, p. 8197-8203, Vol. 190, No. 24
0021-9193/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01069-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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