Effect of 3,4-dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate on phosphoglyceride and lipoteichoic acid synthesis in Bacillus subtilis.

3,4-Dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate (CH2OHCHOHCH2CH2PO3HPO3H2), an analogue of glycerol 3-phosphate, preferentially inhibits the rate of synthesis and accumulation of phosphatidylglycerol in Bacillus subtilis W23 and 168. The rate of phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis is only slightly inhibited, whereas that of lysylphosphatidylglycerol is somewhat stimulated. As expected, decreased phosphatidylglycerol synthesis results in the inhibition of the formation of the putative lipoteichoic acid precursor, sn-glycero-1-phospho-beta-gentiobiosyldiacyglycerol and of lipoteichoic acid itself.