The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa carries a secretable arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase

RE Vance, S Hong, K Gronert… - Proceedings of the …, 2004 - National Acad Sciences
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2004National Acad Sciences
In mammals, lipoxygenases play key roles in inflammation by initiating the transformation of
arachidonic acid into potent bioactive lipid mediators such as leukotrienes and lipoxins. In
general, most bacteria are believed to lack lipoxygenases and their polyunsaturated fatty
acid substrates. It is therefore of interest that an ORF (PA1169) with high homology to
eukaryotic lipoxygenases was discovered by analysis of the whole-genome sequence of the
opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using TLC and liquid …
In mammals, lipoxygenases play key roles in inflammation by initiating the transformation of arachidonic acid into potent bioactive lipid mediators such as leukotrienes and lipoxins. In general, most bacteria are believed to lack lipoxygenases and their polyunsaturated fatty acid substrates. It is therefore of interest that an ORF (PA1169) with high homology to eukaryotic lipoxygenases was discovered by analysis of the whole-genome sequence of the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using TLC and liquid chromatography-UV-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-UV-MS-MS), we demonstrate that PA1169 encodes a bacterial lipoxygenase (LoxA) that converts arachidonic acid into 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE). Although mammalian lipoxygenases are cytoplasmic enzymes, P. aeruginosa LoxA activity is secreted. Taken together, these results suggest a mechanism by which a pathogen-secreted lipoxygenase may modulate host defense and inflammation via alteration of the biosynthesis of local chemical mediators.
National Acad Sciences