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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

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Lipids are an essential component of all biological membranes. The average lipid content in mammalian membranes is 50%, though it can be as low as 20% in the inner mitochondrial membrane or as high as 80% in the myelin sheath present around the nerve cells.
Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin are the most common phospholipids present in mammalian membranes. At physiological pH, phosphatidylserine is negatively charged, while the other three...
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Membrane Domains01:18

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The membrane domains concentrate specific lipids and proteins at one place within the membrane, which helps in cell signaling, adhesion, and other critical cellular processes. These domains can differ in size, composition, function, and lifespan.
Protein Domains
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Lipids as Anchors01:32

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In the plasma membrane, the lipids forming the bilayer can also act as an anchor to tether proteins to the membrane. The three main types of lipid anchors found in eukaryotes are – prenyl groups, fatty acyl groups, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol or GPI groups. Prenyl and fatty acyl groups act as anchors on the cytosolic surface of the membrane, whereas GPI anchors proteins on the extracellular side.
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Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body01:31

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Fats and lipids are crucial components in the human body. Some lipid-derived compounds, such as fat-soluble vitamins, eicosanoids, lipoproteins, and glycolipids, also play unique roles to support various  biological processes .
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Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

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Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
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Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

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Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
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Isolation and Chemical Characterization of Lipid A from Gram-negative Bacteria
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Lipoteichoic Acids Are Essential for Pneumococcal Colonization and Membrane Integrity.

Max Brendel1, Thomas P Kohler1, Janine V Neufend1

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.

Journal of Innate Immunity
|June 20, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is essential for Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization and protects against immune defenses by maintaining membrane integrity. This study highlights LTA

Keywords:
Antimicrobial peptideColonizationLipoteichoic acidsPneumococciTacL

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in Streptococcus pneumoniae is anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane via the LTA ligase TacL.
  • While dispensable for growth, LTA is crucial for virulence in invasive infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of LTA in pneumococcal adherence, colonization, and immune evasion.
  • To determine the impact of LTA deficiency on membrane properties and susceptibility to antimicrobial peptides.

Main Methods:

  • Construction and analysis of TacL-deficient mutants and complemented strains.
  • Assessment of bacterial growth, oxidative stress resistance, antimicrobial peptide susceptibility, membrane fluidity, adherence to lung epithelial cells, and virulence in mouse models.

Main Results:

  • LTA is indispensable for pneumococcal adherence to human nasopharyngeal cells and colonization in a mouse model.
  • LTA-deficient mutants exhibit altered membrane fluidity, increased lipoprotein abundance, and heightened susceptibility to antimicrobial peptides.
  • No morphological defects were observed in LTA-deficient mutants.

Conclusions:

  • LTA is critical for pneumococcal colonization.
  • LTA plays a vital role in protecting pneumococci from innate immune defenses by maintaining membrane integrity.