How Do Cyclopropane Fatty Acids Protect the Cell Membrane of Escherichia coli in Cold Shock?

J Phys Chem B. 2023 Feb 23;127(7):1607-1617. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c00541. Epub 2023 Feb 15.

Abstract

The cyclopropanation of unsaturated lipid acyl chains of some bacterial cell membranes is an important survival strategy to protect the same against drastic cooling. To elucidate the role of cyclopropane ring-containing lipids, we have simulated the lipid membrane of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and two modified membranes by replacing the cyclopropane rings with either single or double bonds at widely different temperatures. It has been observed that the cyclopropane rings provide more rigid kinks in the lipid acyl chain compared to the double bonds and therefore further reduce the packing density of the membrane and subsequently enhance the membrane fluidity at low temperatures. They also inhibit the close packing of other lipids and deleterious phase separation by strongly interacting with them. Therefore, this study has explained why E. coli bacterial strain, susceptible to freezing environments, relies on the cyclopropanation of an unsaturated chain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Membrane
  • Cold-Shock Response*
  • Cyclopropanes / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli* / metabolism
  • Fatty Acids / chemistry

Substances

  • cyclopropane fatty acids
  • Fatty Acids
  • cyclopropane
  • Cyclopropanes