Open AccessInfrared spectroscopic studies of Acholeplasma laidlawii B membranes
Author(s) -
MANTSCH Henry H.,
YANG Paul W.,
MARTIN Adèle,
CAMERON David G.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1988.tb14455.x
Subject(s) - membrane , membrane fluidity , chemistry , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , fatty acid , infrared spectroscopy , deuterium , phase (matter) , infrared , crystal (programming language) , analytical chemistry (journal) , biophysics , chromatography , biochemistry , biology , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , optics , physics , quantum mechanics , computer science , engineering , programming language
The physical state of the membrane lipids in the plasma membranes of intact, live Acholeplasma laidlawii B cells was probed by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and compared with that in isolated membranes. Infrared spectra of live A. laidlawii B cells, enriched biosynthetically in the presence of avidin, with saturated deuterated and unsaturated non‐deuterated fatty acids have been recorded at a variety of temperatures. The results indicate that within the temperature range of the gel to liquid‐crystal phase transition, the live cells are able to keep the ‘fluidity’ of their plasma membranes at a considerably higher value compared to that in the isolated membranes at the same temperature. While this is a generally valid observation, the degree by which live and isolated membranes differ in their liquid‐crystal‐phase content at a given temperature depends on the nature of the exogenous fatty acid and the temperature of growth.