Phospholipids and glycolipids of sterol-requiring Mycoplasma.

The phospholipids of Mycoplasma hominis type 2 strain 07 are composed almost entirely of phosphatidyl glycerol. Traces of other glycerophospholipids may exist. No glycolipids are found. The phospholipids of Mycoplasma sp. avian strain J are composed of diphosphatidyl glycerol, which predominates in older cultures, a monoacyl glycerophosphoryl glycerophosphate, which may serve as a precursor of diphosphatidyl glycerol, and phosphatidyl glycerophosphate. This organism also contains cholesteryl glucoside and an unidentified glycolipid which appears to be similar to a monoglucosyl diglyceride. No turnover or radioisotope labeling of the phospholipids occurs during metabolism. This lack of turnover during growth is indicative of a structural role for these glycerophospholipids. A concomitant decrease of monoacyl glycerophosphoryl glycerophosphate and increase of diphosphatidyl glycerol occurs during growth.