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Cholesterol incorporation intoBacillus megaterium without compositional modification of membrane lipids in response to changes of the membrane functions

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Abstract

Cholesterol was incorporated intoBacillus megaterium, resulting in reduction of membrane permeability and fluidity. However, an apparent modification of membrane composition was found neither in fatty acids nor in phospholipids, whereas electrophoretic patterns of the membrane proteins were changed. Unlike eukaryotic and mycoplasma cells, cholesterol incorporation intoB. megaterium influences the membrane functions but is not accompanied by compensatory changes in the membrane lipids, which appear to be a response common to wallcovered and cholesterol-nonrequiring bacteria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Microbiology, Asahi University School of Dentistry, 1851 Hozumi, 501-02, Motosu, Gifu, Japan

    Hideki Tani D.D.S., Masaru Sato & Isamu Namikawa

  2. Department of Dental Pharmacology, Asahi University School of Dentistry, 1851 Hozumi, 501-02, Motosu, Gifu, Japan

    Hironori Tsuchiya

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  1. Hideki Tani D.D.S.
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  2. Masaru Sato
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  3. Hironori Tsuchiya
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  4. Isamu Namikawa
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Tani, H., Sato, M., Tsuchiya, H. et al. Cholesterol incorporation intoBacillus megaterium without compositional modification of membrane lipids in response to changes of the membrane functions. Current Microbiology 26, 253–256 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01575913

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01575913

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