Metabolism of the phosphatidylglycerol molecular species in Escherichia coli.

The fractionation, turnover and biosynthesis of the phosphatidylglycerol molecular species of Escherichia coli were studied. Monoacetyldiglycerides derived from phosphatidylglycerol were separated into five subfractions; cis-vaccenyl-palmitoleyl, cis-vaccenyl-cis-vaccenyl, palmityl-palmitoleyl, palmityl-cis-vaccenyl and the disaturated molecular species on a silica gel plate impregnated with silver nitrate. Individual molecular species had different turnover rates. The palmityl-cis-vaccenyl species was metabolized faster than the others. Disaturated species were rather stable. Various phosphatidylglycerol molecular species were synthesized in the presence of sn-glycerol 3-phosphate, palmityl-CoA, palmitoleyl-CoA, cis-vaccenyl-CoA and CTP by the E. coli membrane particulate fraction. When only the proportion of palmityl-CoA among the three acyl-CoAs was increased, the molecular species containing the palmityl residue were increased. Similar results were obtained with the other acyl-CoAs. However, a temperature-sensitive incorporation of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids into phosphatidylglycerol molecular species was observed with no change in the proportions of the three acyl-CoAs, completely reflecting the in vivo unsaturated/saturated ratio.