Correlation between phospholipid biosynthesis and intracellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

The influence of intracellular levels of cAMP on phospholipid synthesis in Mycobacterium smegmatis has been examined under conditions of varying carbon source. A decreased phospholipid content was observed in glucose-grown cells, possibly due to decrease in intracellular cAMP levels caused by decreased/increased activity of adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase, respectively. The lowered phospholipid content was supported by decrease both in [14C]acetate incorporation and activities of key enzymes of phospholipid biosynthesis. These results in the light of our earlier observation of enhanced phospholipid synthesis in presence of increased levels of cAMP suggest a direct correlation between phospholipid biosynthesis and intracellular levels of cAMP in M. smegmatis.