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 Krulwich, T A Articles by Guffanti, A A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Krulwich, T A Articles by Guffanti, A A

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1987 October; 169(10): 4479-4485

Incorporation of specific exogenous fatty acids into membrane lipids modulates protonophore resistance in Bacillus subtilis.

Department of Biochemistry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York 10029.

ABSTRACT

Attempts to manipulate the level of C16:1 fatty acids in membrane phospholipids were made by using Bacillus subtilis and its protonophore-resistant mutants to test the hypothesis that C16:1 fatty acid levels relate to the bioenergetic properties of the mutant strains. Growth of the three mutants in the presence of palmitoleic acid restored the level of C16:1 fatty acids in the membrane lipids to somewhat above those found in the wild type. The palmitoleic acid was preferentially incorporated into diphosphatidylglycerol (cardiolipin) and phosphatidylethanolamine and was associated with increased levels of these phospholipids. These membrane preparations showed no increase in the levels of free fatty acids. The increase in C16:1 fatty acids achieved by growth in the presence of palmitoleic acid was accompanied by secondary changes in membrane lipids as well as a pronounced diminution in the protonophore resistance of growth and ATP synthesis. Other membrane-associated properties that had been observed in these mutants, e.g., elevated ATPase levels, were not altered coordinately with protonophore resistance and C16:1 fatty acid levels. Growth of the wild type in the presence of palmitic acid caused a modest elevation of the C16:0 of the membrane lipids and a modest increase in the protonophore resistance of growth and ATP synthesis. Growth of the wild type at elevated temperatures, in the absence of fatty acid supplementation, also enhanced its resistance to protonophores. The results support the hypothesis that specific changes in membrane lipid composition underlie the bioenergetic changes associated with protonophore resistance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Behr, J., Ganzle, M. G., Vogel, R. F. (2006). Characterization of a Highly Hop-Resistant Lactobacillus brevis Strain Lacking Hop Transport.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 6483-6492 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van der Does, C., Swaving, J., van Klompenburg, W., Driessen, A. J. M. (2000). Non-bilayer Lipids Stimulate the Activity of the Reconstituted Bacterial Protein Translocase. J. Biol. Chem. 275: 2472-2478 [Abstract] [Full Text]