Anaerobic plasmalogen production in recombinant Escherichia coli carrying plasmalogen synthase gene from Selenomonas ruminantium

Escherichia coli expressing SrPlsAR from Selenomonas ruminantium produces plasmalogen, comprising almost 60% of the total phospholipid content under anaerobic conditions. Both plasmenylethanolamine and plasmenylglycerol were detected, and the major acyl aldehyde derived from sn-1 vinyl ether was C16:1. Plasmalogen synthesis is affected by mutations in ATP-binding sites and Cys expected to be involved in the formation of the [4Fe-4S] cluster.