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LIPID COMPOSITION AND SYNTHESIS IN THE PLEUROPNEUMONIA-LIKE ORGANISM MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM¹

Departments of Animal Diseases and Animal Industries, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
Biophysics Department, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

ABSTRACT

TOURTELLOTTE, MARK E. (University of Connecticut, Storrs), ROBERT G. JENSEN, GEORGE W. GANDER, AND HAROLD J. MOROWITZ. Lipid composition and synthesis in the pleuropneumonia-like organism Mycoplasma gallisepticum. J. Bacteriol. 86:370–379. 1963.—A simple method of extracting lipids from cells of Mycoplasma gallisepticum by use of silicic acid columns is described. Proteolipids (peptides) extracted with chloroform-methanol (2:1) by other methods were not extracted with the lipid by this method, nor were proteins and nucleic acids. Fractionation of lipids of M. gallisepticum demonstrated the presence of saturated hydrocarbons, free fatty acids, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, di- and triglycerides, phosphatidic acids, cephalins, inositides, phosphatidyl choline, and sphingomyelin. The fatty acid composition of the various fractions was also determined. The positive identification of cholesterol and cholesterol esters in this organism by chromatography, melting point, and infrared spectroscopy confirms reports by others that cholesterol is present in the pleuropneumonia group of microorganisms. The incorporation of P³² orthophosphate into four phospholipid fractions, of oleic acid-1-C¹⁴ into neutral and phospholipids, and cholesterol-4-C¹⁴ into cholesterol esters clearly demonstrated the ability of M. gallisepticum to synthesize these lipids from simpler compounds. Between 70 and 80% of the lipid of this organism was found in the membrane.

² Present address: Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College, Albany, N.Y.

¹ Scientific Contribution No. 26, Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Connecticut, Storrs.