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. 1970 Dec;104(3):1246–1253. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.3.1246-1253.1970

Physiology of Sporeforming Bacteria Associated with Insects II. Lipids of Vegetative Cells1

Lee A Bulla Jr a, Glenn A Bennett a, Odette L Shotwell a
PMCID: PMC248284  PMID: 16559100

Abstract

Lipid composition was studied in two strains each of mid-log phase cells of Bacillus thuringiensis, B. larvae, B. popilliae, B. alvei, and B. lentimorbus. Total lipids varied from 2.5 to 3.5% of the cell dry weight of B. thuringiensis to 4.3 to 5.0% of B. popilliae. Phospholipids in the organisms examined ranged from 55 to 79% of total lipids; neutral lipids averaged from 13 to 45%. Common phospholipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine. 1,2-Diglycerides, methyl esters, free fatty acids, and hydrocarbons were found in all the organisms studied. Branched-chain fatty acids constituted more than 50% of the total fatty acids in B. thuringiensis, B. larvae, B. popilliae, and B. alvei, whereas, in B. lentimorbus, normal-chain acids constituted more than 50%. Anteiso-C15 (12-methyltetradeconoate) was the most abundant acid (30 to 50%) in B. alvei, B. larvae, B. popilliae, and B. lentimorbus. In contrast, B. thuringiensis contained more iso-C13 (7%), iso-C15 (17%), normal-C16 (24%), and iso-C17 (18%) than anteiso-C15 (6%). The distribution of individual fatty acids was similar in the phospholipids and neutral lipids of each organism. However, the total amount of iso, anteiso, and normal isomers differed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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