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Biosynthesis of ω-alicyclic fatty acids induced by cyclic precursors and change of membrane fluidity in thermophilic bacteria Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Meiothermus ruber

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Abstract

Two thermophilic strains belonging to Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Meiothermus ruber, which naturally do not synthesize ω-alicyclic fatty acids (ω-FAs) were cultivated with cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl carboxylic acids. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of fatty acid methyl and picolinyl esters showed that both strains are able to synthesize ω-FAs when cultivated with the appropriate precursor. The incorporation of cyclic acids influenced the whole FA composition as well as membrane fluidity. Membrane fluidity of intact cells was studied by measuring the fluorescence polarisation of the probe l,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene incorporated into membrane lipid bilayers. Cytoplasmic membrane became more fluid with increasing content of ω-FAs. This is caused by considerable changes in lipid packing within the membrane induced by the presence of ω-FAs not found in the natural environment of Geobacillus and Meiothermus strains.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by GACR P503/10/P182 and by Institutional Research Concept AV 0Z 502 0910.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fermentation Chemistry and Bioengineering, Institute of Chemical Technology Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic

    Lucie Siristova & Radek Luhovy

  2. Institute of Microbiology, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic

    Karel Sigler & Tomas Rezanka

Authors
  1. Lucie Siristova
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  2. Radek Luhovy
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  3. Karel Sigler
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  4. Tomas Rezanka
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Correspondence to Lucie Siristova.

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Communicated by T. Matsunaga.

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Siristova, L., Luhovy, R., Sigler, K. et al. Biosynthesis of ω-alicyclic fatty acids induced by cyclic precursors and change of membrane fluidity in thermophilic bacteria Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Meiothermus ruber . Extremophiles 15, 423–429 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-011-0373-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-011-0373-4

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