Open AccessIncorporation of fatty acids by Streptococcus mutans
Author(s) -
Sato Masaru,
Tsuchiya Hironori,
Tani Hideki,
Yamamoto Kohji,
Yamaguchi Ryozo,
Nitta Hiroshi,
Kanematsu Nobutake,
Namikawa Isamu,
Takagi Nobuhiko
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1991.tb04723.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , degree of unsaturation , fatty acid , biochemistry , streptococcus mutans , membrane , polyunsaturated fatty acid , bacteria , chromatography , biology , genetics
In a series of investigations into the cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans , we studied the incorporation of exogenous fatty acids with reference to glucosyltransferase secretion and membrane fatty acid changes. When cells were grown with different fatty acids, both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were readily incorporated into the membrane lipids and were biotransformed and elongated preferentially to the longer 16‐ and 18‐carbon‐chain fatty acids. This incorporation and chain‐elongation led to significant changes in fatty acids composition. By adding fatty acids to the medium, it was possible to appropriately modify the degree of unsaturation and the relative ratio between specific fatty acids in the membrane lipids of S. mutans .