Bacterial cytoplasmic membrane phospholipids

Bacterial cytoplasmic membrane phospholipids are essential structural components of the bacterial cell envelope, providing a semi-permeable barrier that maintains cellular homeostasis (Epand et al., 2016). Unlike eukaryotic membranes, which are rich in phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol, bacterial membranes are characterized by high concentrations of anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL) (Sohlenkamp & Geiger, 2016). These lipids serve as the primary target for several classes of antibiotics, most notably the lipopeptide daptomycin, which binds to PG in a calcium-dependent manner to induce membrane curvature and pore formation (Muller et al., 2016). Polymyxins also interact with these phospholipids in the cytoplasmic membrane after crossing the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, leading to physical disruption of the bilayer (Trimble et al., 2016). The interaction typically results in rapid membrane depolarization, leakage of essential ions like potassium, and the cessation of macromolecular synthesis, ultimately leading to cell death (Silverman et al., 2003). Because these targets are fundamental to bacterial viability and differ significantly from human lipid compositions, they remain a critical focus for developing treatments against multi-drug resistant pathogens (Hurdle et al., 2011).

Other names

Bacterial membrane lipidsCytoplasmic membrane phospholipidsBacterial phospholipidsAnionic bacterial phospholipids

Binding to anionic phospholipids leads to membrane depolarization, pore formation, and loss of membrane integrity, resulting in the leakage of intracellular ions and cell death.