Author
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ANDERSON, KEVIN |
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Submitted to: Gordon Research Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 7/29/2001 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Cellulolytic activity of gram positive, anaerobic bacteria is known to involve a number of protein components and hydrolytic activities. However, little is known regarding a role the cytoplasmic membrane may play in cellulose degradation. Changes in the membrane fatty acid composition can be an indirect measure of the membrane's function in various cellular processes. Therefore, the cellular fatty acid composition was determined for cellulolytic Eubacteria, Clostridia, and Ruminococcus that were cultivated in media containing various energy substrates. The results of this analysis revealed that most of these organisms uniquely altered their fatty acid composition for growth on cellulose compared with growth on other substrates. The exact nature of this alteration varied, depending upon the bacterium, but included changes in acyl chain length and shifts in the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids. These shifts did not correlate with incubation temperature, growth medium, or growth rate differences. Rather, these shifts in the fatty acid composition were unique to cellulose grown bacteria, and were usually consistent with a comparative decrease of membrane viscosity. Thus, the assembly and function of proteins for cellulose utilization (such as secretion and aggregation of cellulosomal proteins) may necessitate an increase of the membrane fluidity. |
