Utilization of phosphocholine from extracellular complex polysaccharide as a source of cytoplasmic choline derivatives in Penicillium fellutanum

Penicillium fellutanum produces a phosphorylated, choline-containing extracellular polysaccharide, peptidophosphogalactomannan (pP(x)GM) where x is the number of phosphodiester residues]). The 13C-methyl-labeled pP(x)GM (methyl-13C]pP(x)GM) was prepared from the cultures supplemented with L-methyl-13C]methionine and was used as a probe to monitor the fate of phosphocholine in this polymer. The addition of methyl-13C]pP(x)GM to growing cultures in low-phosphate medium resulted in the disappearance within 5 days of methyl-13C]phosphocholine and N,N'-dimethylphosphoethanolamine from the added methyl-13C]pP(x)GM. Two 13C-methyl-enriched cytoplasmic solutes, choline-O-sulfate and glycine betaine, were found in mycelial extracts, suggesting that phosphocholine-containing extracellular pP(x)GM of P. fellutanum is a precursor of intracellular choline-O-sulfate and glycine betaine. The mycelia cultured in low-phosphate (2 mM) medium contained glycine betaine and 1.5-fold more choline-O-sulfate than those grown in high-phosphate (20 mM) medium. The high levels of extracellular nonspecific phosphocholine:phosphocholine hydrolase and acid phosphomonoesterase observed in the low-phosphate culture medium are likely related to the release of phosphocholine from pP(x)GM and hydrolysis of phosphocholine, respectively. These results suggest that extracellular pP(x)GM of P. fellutanum provides phosphate needed as the environment becomes depleted of this nutrient. Choline, in excess of that needed immediately, is stored in the cytoplasm in forms that can be reutilized.