Heptads of polar ether lipids of an archaebacterium, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum: Structure and biosynthetic relationship

Journal Article · Tue Jan 10 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Biochemistry; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00427a014· OSTI ID:5642153

Nishihara, Masateru; Morii, Hiroyuki; Koga, Yosuke ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Occupation and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu (Japan)

The structures of the eight major polar lipids of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum were determined. They were one diether glycolipid (gentiobiosylarchaeol) and serine-, inositol-, and ethanol-amine-containing diether and tetraether types of phospholipids and phosphoglycolipids (archaetidyl-L-serine, caldarchaetidyl-L-serine, gentiobiosylcaldarchaetidyl-L-serine, 1D-1-(archaetidyl)-myo-inositol, 1D-1-(caldarchaetidyl)-myo-inositol, 1D-1-(gentiobiosylcaldarchaetidyl)-myo-inositol, archaetidylethanolamine). In combination with 2 neutral lipids and 3 polar lipids that have been already described in previous papers, the 13 lipids were proposed to be classified in three groups, that is, three heptads, each of which was constituted by diether and tetraether types of neutral lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids and a tetraether phosphoglycolipid. The heptad concept implied the biosynthetic relationship between diether and tetraether lipids which was supported by in vivo kinetic experiments. When growing cells were pulse labeled with ({sup 32}P)orthophosphate, there was a lag of 15-90 min between the rapid incorporation of label into diether polar lipids and that of label into the corresponding tetraether polar lipids. The lag times and rates of incorporation of {sup 32}P into tetraether phospholipids and their respective diglucosyl derivatives (phosphoglycolipids) were almost identical. In a pulse-chase experiment with ({sup 32}P)P{sub i}, rapid turnover of the three diether lipids other than archaetidylethanolamine was observed. At the same time radioactivity was incorporated into gentiobiosylcaldarchaetidylinositol and other tetraether polar lipids. These results are consistent with a model which postulates that head-to-head condensation of phytanyl chains of two diether polar lipids occurs to yield tetraether polar lipids.

• OSTI ID: 5642153
• Journal Information: Biochemistry; (USA), Journal Name: Biochemistry; (USA) Vol. 28:1; ISSN 0006-2960; ISSN BICHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOCHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ETHERS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LIPIDS
METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA
MICROORGANISMS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS 32
PHOSPHORUS ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
UPTAKE