Mechanism of bacterial ATP secretion.

三磷酸腺苷调节免疫细胞功能。我们最近报道了从小鼠和人身上分离的鸡肠球菌能分泌三磷酸腺苷。自那以后，我们发现并鉴定了几种分泌三磷酸腺苷的细菌。在所测试的肠球菌中，蒙氏肠球菌经过夜培养后分泌的三磷酸腺苷最多。葡萄糖，而不是氨基酸和维生素是蒙蒂埃酵母分泌ATP所必需的。对缺乏能量的细胞的分析表明，糖酵解是细菌分泌ATP的最重要途径。此外，指数期的蒙氏艾美耳球虫和粪肠球菌细胞比稳定期细胞更有效地分泌三磷酸腺苷。其他细菌，包括铜绿假单胞菌、大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌，也在指数期而不是稳定期分泌三磷酸腺苷。这些结果表明，各种肠道细菌，包括共生菌和病原体，可能在任何生长阶段分泌ATP，并调节免疫细胞功能。

ATP modulates immune cell functions. We recently reported that Enterococcus gallinarum, isolated from mice and humans, secretes ATP. We have since found and characterized several ATP-secreting bacteria. Of the tested enterococci, Enterococcus mundtii secreted the greatest amount of ATP after overnight culture. Glucose, not amino acids and vitamins, was essential for ATP secretion from E. mundtii. Analyses of energy-deprived cells demonstrated that glycolysis is the most important pathway for bacterial ATP secretion. Furthermore, exponential-phase E. mundtii and Enterococcus faecalis cells secrete ATP more efficiently than stationary-phase cells. Other bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, also secrete ATP in exponential but not stationary phase. These results suggest that various gut bacteria, including commensals and pathogens, might secrete ATP at any growth phase and modulate immune cell function.