Abstract:
Bacterial cells are surrounded by a cellular envelope composed of the cytoplasmic membrane and the cell wall. The cytoplasmic membrane is a phospholipid bilayer that provides an appropriate matrix for the functioning of membrane proteins involved in many different cellular functions. Membrane lipid composition can change in response to different environmental challenges such as the presence of toxic compounds (i.e., aromatic hydrocarbons). The changes in membrane fluidity induced by these stresses are counteracted by the bacteria through variations in the length of fatty acids, in the degree of saturation and in the cis/trans configuration of the unsaturated fatty acids. The presence of cyclopropane fatty acids and changes in phospholipid headgroups has also been indicated to be involved in this stress response. The adaptive alterations of the main membrane phospholipids and fatty acids present in the cytoplasmic membrane are the subject of this chapter.
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Segura, A., Bernal, P., Pini, C., Krell, T., Daniels, C., Ramos, JL. (2010). Membrane Composition and Modifications in Response to Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Gram Negative Bacteria. In: Timmis, K.N. (eds) Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_111
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_111
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-77584-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-77587-4
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