Lipid Composition of Mycoplasma neurolyticum

The total lipid content ofMycoplasma neurolyticum comprises about 14% of the dry weight of the organisms and is about equally distributed between the phospholipid and the neutral-glycolipid fractions. The neutral lipids were identified as triglycerides, diglycerides, and cholesterol. The glycolipid fraction contained 1-O -β-glucopyranosyl-d -2,3-diglyceride and 1-[O -β-d -glycopyranosyl-(1→6)-O -β-d -glucopyranosyl]-d -2,3-diglyceride. The latter lipid is structurally identical to the diglucosyl diglyceride which occurs inStaphylococcus aureus . The phospholipids of the organism consist of a fully acylated glycerophosphoryl-glycerophosphoryl glycerol, phosphatidic acid, diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl glycerol, and amino acyl esters of phosphatidyl glycerol. Phosphatidic acid and phosphatidyl glycerol account for greater than 90% of the phospholipids of organisms in the exponential phase of growth. The predominant fatty acids found in all of the acyl lipids were palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids.