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Fatty acid positional distribution in phospholipids of a psychrophilic bacterium during changes in growth temperature

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Abstract

The major phospholipids of the psychrophilic bacteriumMicrococcus cryophilus, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol, have similar fatty acid compositions, comprising almost entirely palmitoleic and oleic acids. We show that there is a preference for the longer chains in thesn-1 position of both phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol, both during isothermal growth and after temperature shifts, despite the fact that the overall phospholipid C18/C16 acyl chain ratio decreases with a lowering of growth temperature. Although it has been shown using model systems that the isomeric configurationsn-1-long,sn-2-short lowers lipid melting temperature, this paper reports the first clear-cut demonstration of such an isomeric preference in a natural system. We discuss how this acyl chain configuration contributes to membrane fluidity inM. cryophilus, in terms of adaptation to its psychrophilic habitat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University College, PO Box 78, CF1 1XL, Cardiff, South Wales, UK

    Linda McGibbon & Nicholas J. Russell

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  1. Linda McGibbon
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  2. Nicholas J. Russell
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McGibbon, L., Russell, N.J. Fatty acid positional distribution in phospholipids of a psychrophilic bacterium during changes in growth temperature. Current Microbiology 9, 241–244 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567194

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