Other Microorganisms

Abstract

Relatively few phospholipases have been studied in microorganisms other than prokaryotic bacteria. As detailed in Chapters 2 and 3, a major interest in bacterial phospholipases has emphasized their relation to toxins. Since many toxins are bacterial in origin, the interest in toxins has not sparked similar studies on phospholipases in higher microorganisms. In this chapter, emphasis is placed on the mechanism of action of the rare phospholipase B, one of the few known examples of a single enzyme that removes both acyl groups.