Conversion of cis unsaturated fatty acids to trans, a possible mechanism for the protection of phenol-degrading Pseudomonas putida P8 from substrate toxicity

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6894051

Heipieper, H J; Diefenbach, R; Keweloh, H ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Muenster (Germany)

A trans unsaturated fatty acid was found as a major constituent in the lipids of Pseudomonas putida P8. The fatty acid was identified as 9-trans-hexadecenoic acid by gas chromatography, argentation thin-layer chromatography, and infrared absorption spectrometry. Growing cells of P. putida P8 reacted to the presence of sublethal concentrations of phenol in the medium with changes in the fatty acid composition of the lipids, thereby increasing the degree of saturation. At phenol concentrations which completely inhibited the growth of P.putida, the cells were still able to increase the content of the trans unsaturated fatty acid and simultaneously induced by 4-chlorophenol in nongrowing cells in which the de novo synthesis of lipids has stopped, as shown by incorporation experiments with labeled acetate. The isomerization of the double bond in the presence of cholramphenicol indicates a constitutively operating enzyme system. The cis-to-trans modification of the fatty acids studied here apparently is a new way of adapting the membrane fluidity to the presence of phenols, thereby compensating for the elevation of membrane permeability induced by these toxic substances.

• OSTI ID: 6894051
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 58:6; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
HEXADECANOIC ACID
METABOLISM
PHENOL
BIODEGRADATION
TOXICITY
PSEUDOMONAS
GROWTH
CELL MEMBRANES
CHLORAMPHENICOL
INFRARED SPECTRA
INHIBITION
ISOMERIZATION
PERMEABILITY
THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
ANTIBIOTICS
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DECOMPOSITION
DRUGS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MEMBRANES
MICROORGANISMS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTRA
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology