This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lusk, J. E. Articles by Kennedy, E. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lusk, J. E. Articles by Kennedy, E. P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1972 March; 109(3): 1034-1046
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Altered Phospholipid Metabolism in a Sodium-Sensitive Mutant of Escherichia coli¹

^a Department of Biological Chemistry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115

ABSTRACT

A mutant of Escherichia coli has been isolated, the growth of which is inhibited by low concentrations (1 mM) of NaCl. High levels of magnesium, calcium, or strontium in the medium permit growth in the presence of sodium. The metal content of the inhibited mutant is normal, but the strain is unable to tolerate levels of sodium to which the wild type is indifferent. Immediately after the addition of sodium to cultures of the mutant, rates of synthesis of protein, ribonucleic acid, deoxyribonucleic acid, and total lipid are unchanged, but more cardiolipin and less phosphatidylethanolamine are produced. The direct enzymatic cause of this change, which affects membrane function, is not known. Studies of the metabolism of phosphatidylglycerol in vivo after pulse-labeling with [2-³H]glycerol reveal that a major pathway both in wild-type and mutant strains involves the cleavage of labeled glycerol from phosphatidylglycerol.

² Present address: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. 02139.

¹ Taken in part from a dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Lopalco, P., Lobasso, S., Babudri, F., Corcelli, A. (2004). Osmotic shock stimulates de novo synthesis of two cardiolipins in an extreme halophilic archaeon. J. Lipid Res. 45: 194-201 [Abstract] [Full Text]