The effect of variations in growth temperature, fatty acid composition and cholesterol content on the lipid polar head-group composition of Acholeplasma laidlawii B membranes

Bhakoo, Manmohan; McElhaney, Ronald N.

doi:10.1016/0005-2736(88)90493-2

Cited by 27 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Although S. mutans UA159 does not produce appreciable amounts of cyclopropane fatty acids, as (1,19). Moreover, in response to temperature changes, the mycoplasma Acholeplasma laidlawii also alters its polar lipid composition (4,15,18). The ability of S. mutans to regulate its membrane fatty acid composition in response to external pH may be an important element of its pathogenic capability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifts in the Membrane Fatty Acid Profile ofStreptococcus mutansEnhance Survival in Acidic Environments

Fozo¹,

Quivey

2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

185

176

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Acid adaptation of Streptococcus mutans UA159 involves several different mechanisms, including the ability to alter its proportion of long-chain, monounsaturated membrane fatty acids (R. G. Quivey, Jr., R. Faustoferri, K. Monahan, and R. Marquis, FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 189:89-92, 2000). In the present study, we examined the mechanism and timing of changes in fatty acid ratios and the potential benefit that an increased proportion of long-chained fatty acids has for the organism during growth at low pH. Cells taken from steady-state cultures at intermediate pH values of 6.5, 6, and 5.5 showed incremental changes from the short-chained, saturated membrane fatty acid profile normally seen in pH 7 cultures to the long-chained, monounsaturated fatty acids more typically observed in acidic cultures (pH 5). Our observations showed that the bacterium was capable of effecting the majority of changes in approximately 20 min, far less than one generation time. However, reversion to the distribution of fatty acids seen in cells growing at a pH of 7 required a minimum of 10 generations. Fatty acid composition analysis of cells taken from cultures treated with chloramphenicol suggested that the changes in fatty acid distribution did not require de novo protein synthesis. Cells treated with the fatty acid biosynthesis inhibitor cerulenin were unable to alter their membrane fatty acid profiles and were unable to survive severe acidification. Results presented here indicate that membrane fatty acid redistribution is important for low pH survival and, as such, is a component of the S. mutans acid-adaptation arsenal.Streptococcus mutans is an etiologic agent of the disease dental caries. The organism resides in supragingival plaque, a biofilm formed above the gumline in the oral cavity. A major characteristic contributing to the organism's pathogenicity is its ability to metabolize many sugars, and as a consequence S. mutans produces various organic acids. Acid production consequently lowers the pH of the surrounding environment, and over time the drop in pH will lead to tooth demineralization and the development of caries. The organism, however, is capable of surviving in low-pH environments and can metabolize glucose and acidify the environment to a pH of 3.5 (3).To withstand the acidification of its environment, S. mutans utilizes a series of adaptive mechanisms, including increases in both the activity and amounts of F 1 F 0 ATPase and a low-pHinducible DNA repair system (22). One of the main defenses against environmental challenges such as acid shock is the bacterial membrane itself. When the total membrane fatty acid content of S. mutans UA159 was examined after the organism had been grown to steady state at pH values of 7 and 5, a major shift in total membrane fatty acid composition was observed wherein cells grown at pH 5 produced a higher proportion of long-chained, monounsaturated fatty acids than cells grown at pH 7 (21). However, the causal relationship between membrane fatty acid changes and resistance to external aci...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifts in the Membrane Fatty Acid Profile ofStreptococcus mutansEnhance Survival in Acidic Environments

Fozo¹,

Quivey

2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

185

176

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“…The compatible solute diglycerol phosphate protects proteins of Desulfovibrio gigas and Clostridium pasteurianum; for example, the half-life of rubredoxin is increased 4-fold (1). In Acholeplasma laidlawii, the amount of phosphatidylglycerol, the only phosphatide present, relative to the amount of neutral glycolipids reflects the relative balance of uncharged and charged lipids in the membrane (41).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural elucidation of phosphoglycolipids from strains of the bacterial thermophiles Thermus and Meiothermus

Yang

Jao

et al. 2006

Journal of Lipid Research

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The structures of two major phosphoglycolipids from the thermophilic bacteria Thermus oshimai NTU-063, Thermus thermophilus NTU-077, Meiothermus ruber NTU-124, and Meiothermus taiwanensis NTU-220 were determined using spectroscopic and chemical analyses to be 29-O-(1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho) -39-O-(a-N-acetyl-glucosaminyl)-N-glyceroyl alkylamine [PGL1 (1)] and the novel structure (2) is the first phosphoglycolipid identified with a 2-acylalkyldio-1-Ophosphate moiety. The fatty acids of the phosphoglycolipids are mainly iso-C 15:0 , -C 16:0 , and -C 17:0 and anteiso-C 15:0 and -C 17:0 . The ratios of PGL2 (2) to PGL1 (1) are significantly altered when grown at different temperatures for three strains, T. thermophilus NTU-077, M. ruber NTU-124, and M. taiwanensis NTU-220, but not for T. oshimai NTU-063. Accordingly, the ratios of iso-to anteiso-branched fatty acids increase when grown at the higher temperature. Supplementary key words nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy . matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectroscopy . capillary electrophoresis-mass spectroscopy . tandem mass spectrometry . Thermus oshimai NTU-063 . Thermus thermophilus NTU-077 . Meiothermus ruber NTU-124 . Meiothermus taiwanensis NTU-220Bacteria have evolved interesting thermoadaptive mechanisms, including changes in their membranes (1). For example, when Escherichia coli, Thermus aquaticus, Candida species, thermophilic Bacillus species, and Staphylococcus aureus are grown at high temperatures, the proportion of branched-chain fatty acids increases and the proportions of monoenoic and heptanoic fatty acids decrease (2). Temperature affects both the chain length and the degree of saturation of fatty acid components in Synechococcus species (3, 4). Polar lipid fatty acids can be used as a biochemical marker because many of the lipids of thermophilic bacteria isolated from microbial mats in hot springs have unique diol, plasmalogen, monoether, and diether structures (5).Thermus and Meiothermus species are Gram-negative thermophilic rods isolated from thermal hot springs, industrial and domestic water traps, and hydrothermal vents with neutral to alkaline pH (6). In these species, polar lipids occupy a large proportion of the cellular membrane fractions and usually include a major phospholipid, a major glycolipid, and minor phospholipids and glycolipids (7,8). The glycolipids usually contain three hexoses, one N-hexosamine, and one glycerol (6, 9-13). The hydrophobic parts are predominantly iso-and anteiso-branched fatty acids; straight-chain fatty acids are minor components. The high proportion of glycolipids in the cell membranes could possibly contribute to the ability of the bacteria to grow at high temperatures, because the relative proportions of the major glycolipids increase concomitantly with the growth temperature (14, 15).Thermus and Meiothermus species have been reported to have phosphoglycolipids (16) Abbreviations: CE-MS, capillary electrophoresis-mass spectroscopy; DQF-COSY, double quantum filtered-c...

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“…Membrane fatty acid and phospholipid adaptation in bacteria in response to environmental stresses has been explored most extensively in E. coli, B. subtilis, Bacillus stearothermophilus, and Acholeplasma laidlawii (1,10,14,17,27,28). Until recently, the phenomena had not been explored as extensively in S. mutans, an organism that inhabits a low-pH environment, dental plaque.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One main mechanism for survival involves alteration of either the fatty acid or phospholipid composition of the organism's membrane (1,10,14,27,28). For example, increases in the proportion of monounsaturated membrane fatty acids have been linked to cold shock survival by Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli (1,17).…”

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confidence: 99%

The fabM Gene Product of Streptococcus mutans Is Responsible for the Synthesis of Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Is Necessary for Survival at Low pH

2004

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. Using the published S. pneumoniae sequence, a putative FabM was identified in the S. mutans strain UA159. We generated a fabM strain that does not produce unsaturated fatty acids as determined by gas chromatography of fatty acid methyl esters. The mutant strain was extremely sensitive to low pH in comparison to the wild type; however, the acid-sensitive phenotype was relieved by growth in the presence of long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids or through genetic complementation. The strain exhibited reduced glycolytic capability and altered glucose-PTS activity. In addition, the altered membrane composition was more impermeable to protons and did not maintain a normal ⌬pH. The results suggest that altered membrane composition can significantly affect the acid survival capabilities, as well as several enzymatic activities, of S. mutans.

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The effect of variations in growth temperature, fatty acid composition and cholesterol content on the lipid polar head-group composition of Acholeplasma laidlawii B membranes

Cited by 27 publications

References 19 publications

Shifts in the Membrane Fatty Acid Profile ofStreptococcus mutansEnhance Survival in Acidic Environments

Shifts in the Membrane Fatty Acid Profile ofStreptococcus mutansEnhance Survival in Acidic Environments

Structural elucidation of phosphoglycolipids from strains of the bacterial thermophiles Thermus and Meiothermus

The fabM Gene Product of Streptococcus mutans Is Responsible for the Synthesis of Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Is Necessary for Survival at Low pH

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