Cystic Fibrosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cystic Fibrosis, including details on symptoms, genetics, treatment, information.

Unique lipid a modifications in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the airways of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Ernst RK, Moskowitz SM, Emerson JC, Kraig GM, Adams KN, Harvey MD, Ramsey B, Speert DP, Burns JL, Miller SI

Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. rkernst@u.washington.edu

Three structural features of lipid A (addition of palmitate [C16 fatty acid], addition of aminoarabinose [positively charged amino sugar residue], and retention of 3-hydroxydecanoate [3-OH C10 fatty acid]) were determined for Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF; n=86), from the environment (n=13), and from patients with other conditions (n=14). Among P. aeruginosa CF isolates, 100% had lipid A with palmitate, 24.6% with aminoarabinose, and 33.3% retained 3-hydroxydecanoate. None of the isolates from the environment or from patients with other conditions displayed these modifications. These results indicate that unique lipid A modifications occur in clinical P. aeruginosa CF isolates.

Published 31 August 2007 in J Infect Dis, 196(7): 1088-92.
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