Abstract
In Escherichia coli membranes, three major phospholipids are formed: phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL). We report here the survival of mutants lacking either PE or both PG and CL at an acid pHo and during long-term survival experiments. Stationary phase cultures of E. coli lacking PE are much more sensitive to acid shock (pHo 3) than the wild-type strain. Moreover, in the strain lacking PE, long-term survival in stationary phase is impaired and after 5 days no viable cells are recovered. The survival of an exponential phase culture to acid shock is known to be increased if the culture is exposed to moderately acid conditions (pHo 5) prior to a shift to pHo 3. If either PE or both PG and CL are missing, the exposure to pHo 5 does not increase the survival at pHo 3.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adaptation, Physiological*
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CDPdiacylglycerol-Serine O-Phosphatidyltransferase / genetics
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CDPdiacylglycerol-Serine O-Phosphatidyltransferase / metabolism
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Cardiolipins / physiology
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Cell Membrane / chemistry
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Colony Count, Microbial
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Escherichia coli / genetics
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Escherichia coli / growth & development
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Escherichia coli / metabolism
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Escherichia coli / physiology*
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Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
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Mutagenesis, Insertional
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Phosphatidylethanolamines / physiology
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Phosphatidylglycerols / physiology
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Phospholipids / physiology*
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Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups) / genetics
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Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups) / metabolism
Substances
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Cardiolipins
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Phosphatidylethanolamines
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Phosphatidylglycerols
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Phospholipids
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Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups)
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CDP-diacylglycerol-glycerol-3-phosphate 3-phosphatidyltransferase
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CDPdiacylglycerol-Serine O-Phosphatidyltransferase