Open AccessCholine deficiency induced by Mycoplasma fermentans enhances apoptosis of rat astrocytes
Author(s) -
BenMenachem Gil,
Mousa Awni,
Brenner Talma,
Pinto Florence,
Zähringer Ulrich,
Rottem Shlomo
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb10750.x
Subject(s) - apoptosis , choline , biology , mycoplasma , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
A choline uptake system accumulating free choline in an energy‐dependent process is described in Mycoplasma fermentans . The uptake system has a K m of 2.2×10 −5 M and a V max of 0.15 nmol 10 min −1 mg −1 cell protein and the choline incorporated could be recovered in the soluble fraction as free choline, phosphorylcholine and CDP‐choline. Choline accumulation by M. fermentans resulted in a marked choline depletion of the growth medium. The choline depletion of an astrocyte cell culture induced by M. fermentans was associated with the apoptotic death of the cells. Apoptosis was not obtained with heat‐inactivated mycoplasmas and could be reversed by the addition of free choline to the growth medium.