Fatty-acid composition of Mycoplasma lipids: biomembrane with only 1 fatty acid.

Mycoplasma strain Y grew well when elaidate was the only fatty acid added to the medium, and this acid then comprised over 97 percent of the lipid fatty acids. It also grew well when elaidate was supplied together with any one of a series of straight-chain saturated fatty acids, and the lipids then contained both in approximately equimolar proportions. The ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid remained constant.