@article {687,
	title = {Inositol lipid metabolism in mycobacteria: biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms.},
	journal = {Biochim Biophys Acta},
	volume = {1810},
	year = {2011},
	month = {2011 Jun},
	pages = {630-41},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND: The genus Mycobacterium includes a number of medically important pathogens. The cell walls of these bacteria have many unique features, including the abundance of various inositol lipids, such as phosphatidylinositol mannosides (PIMs), lipomannan (LM), and lipoarabinomannan (LAM). The biosynthesis of these lipids is believed to be prime drug targets, and has been clarified in detail over the past several years.

SCOPE OF REVIEW: Here we summarize our current understanding of the inositol lipid metabolism in mycobacteria. We will highlight unsolved issues and future directions especially in the context of metabolic regulation.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: Inositol is a building block of phosphatidylinositol (PI), which is further elaborated to become PIMs, LM and LAM. d-myo-inositol 3-phosphate is an intermediate of the de novo inositol synthesis, but it is also the starting substrate for mycothiol synthesis. Controlling the level of d-myo-inositol 3-phosphate appears to be important for maintaining the steady state levels of mycothiol and inositol lipids. Several additional control mechanisms must exist to control the complex biosynthetic pathways of PI, PIMs, LM and LAM. These may include regulatory proteins such as a lipoprotein LpqW, and spatial separation of enzymes, such as the amphipathic PimA mannosyltransferase and later enzymes in the PIMs/LM biosynthetic pathway. Finally, we discuss mechanisms that underlie control of LM/LAM glycan polymer elongation.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Mycobacteria have evolved a complex network of inositol metabolism. Clarifying its metabolism will not only provide better understanding of bacterial pathogenesis, but also understanding of the evolution and general functions of inositol lipids in nature.},
	keywords = {Inositol, Lipid Metabolism, Lipids, Models, Biological, Mycobacterium, Phosphatidylinositols},
	issn = {0006-3002},
	doi = {10.1016/j.bbagen.2011.03.017},
	author = {Morita, Yasu S and Fukuda, Takeshi and Sena, Chubert B C and Yamaryo-Botte, Yoshiki and McConville, Malcolm J and Kinoshita, Taroh}
}
@article {693,
	title = {Removal or maintenance of inositol-linked acyl chain in glycosylphosphatidylinositol is critical in trypanosome life cycle.},
	journal = {J Biol Chem},
	volume = {281},
	year = {2006},
	month = {2006 Apr 28},
	pages = {11595-602},
	abstract = {The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is coated by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins. During GPI biosynthesis, inositol in phosphatidylinositol becomes acylated. Inositol is deacylated prior to attachment to variant surface glycoproteins in the bloodstream form, whereas it remains acylated in procyclins in the procyclic form. We have cloned a T. brucei GPI inositol deacylase (GPIdeAc2). In accordance with the acylation/deacylation profile, the level of GPIdeAc2 mRNA was 6-fold higher in the bloodstream form than in the procyclic form. Knockdown of GPIdeAc2 in the bloodstream form caused accumulation of an inositol-acylated GPI, a decreased VSG expression on the cell surface and slower growth, indicating that inositol-deacylation is essential for the growth of the bloodstream form. Overexpression of GPIdeAc2 in the procyclic form caused an accumulation of GPI biosynthetic intermediates lacking inositol-linked acyl chain and decreased cell surface procyclins because of release into the culture medium, indicating that overexpression of GPIdeAc2 is deleterious to the surface coat of the procyclic form. Therefore, the GPI inositol deacylase activity must be tightly regulated in trypanosome life cycle.},
	keywords = {Acylation, Animals, Cloning, Molecular, Glycosylphosphatidylinositols, Inositol, Life Cycle Stages, Membrane Glycoproteins, Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases, Protozoan Proteins, RNA, Messenger, Trypanosoma brucei brucei},
	issn = {0021-9258},
	doi = {10.1074/jbc.M513061200},
	author = {Hong, Yeonchul and Nagamune, Kisaburo and Morita, Yasu S and Nakatani, Fumiki and Ashida, Hisashi and Maeda, Yusuke and Kinoshita, Taroh}
}
@article {697,
	title = {Function of phosphatidylinositol in mycobacteria.},
	journal = {J Biol Chem},
	volume = {280},
	year = {2005},
	month = {2005 Mar 25},
	pages = {10981-7},
	abstract = {Phosphatidylinositol (PI) is an abundant phospholipid in the cytoplasmic membrane of mycobacteria and the precursor for more complex glycolipids, such as the PI mannosides (PIMs) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM). To investigate whether the large steady-state pools of PI and apolar PIMs are required for mycobacterial growth, we have generated a Mycobacterium smegmatis inositol auxotroph by disruption of the ino1 gene. The ino1 mutant displayed wild-type growth rates and steady-state levels of PI, PIM, and LAM when grown in the presence of 1 mM inositol. The non-dividing ino1 mutant was highly resistant to inositol starvation, reflecting the slow turnover of inositol lipids in this stage. In contrast, dilution of growing or stationary-phase ino1 mutant in inositol-free medium resulted in the rapid depletion of PI and apolar PIMs. Whereas depletion of these lipids was not associated with loss of viability, subsequent depletion of polar PIMs coincided with loss of major cell wall components and cell viability. Metabolic labeling experiments confirmed that the large pools of PI and apolar PIMs were used to sustain polar PIM and LAM biosynthesis during inositol limitation. They also showed that under non-limiting conditions, PI is catabolized via lyso-PI. These data suggest that large pools of PI and apolar PIMs are not essential for membrane integrity but are required to sustain polar PIM biosynthesis, which is essential for mycobacterial growth.},
	keywords = {Inositol, Lipopolysaccharides, Mannose, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Phosphatidylinositols},
	issn = {0021-9258},
	doi = {10.1074/jbc.M413443200},
	author = {Haites, Ruth E and Morita, Yasu S and McConville, Malcolm J and Billman-Jacobe, Helen}
}
