De novo biosynthetic pathway and biological functions of bacterial lysophospholipids

Abstract:

Lysophospholipids (LPLs), lipid metabolism intermediates in the cell membrane, are mainly generated by the hydrolysis of phospholipid molecules. LPLs differ significantly from their precursor phospholipids in the biological functions. In eukaryotic cells, LPLs are bioactive molecules involved in the regulation of multiple biological signals. However, the roles of LPLs in bacteria have not been fully revealed. LPLs are a secondary component in bacterial cell membrane and can be significantly increased under environmental stress conditions. In addition to participating in the phospholipid metabolism in the cell membrane, LPLs are considered to play a role in the environmental adaptability and pathogenicity of bacteria. LPLs accumulated in the cell membrane can improve the survival and proliferation efficiency of bacteria under environmental stress or act as signaling molecules in the pathogenic processes of bacteria. Recent studies suggest LPLs as a potential novel virulence factor of bacteria. We review the current knowledge about the biosynthetic pathways of LPLs and the roles of LPLs in bacterial adaptation and host-bacterium interaction, providing references for the further research on bacterial pathogenesis and prevention of bacterial infections.