Cold Adaptation in the Antarctic Archaeon Methanococcoides burtonii Involves Membrane Lipid Unsaturation

• DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.24.8508-8515.2004
• Publication Date: 2004-12-02T23:48:13Z
• Authors: David S. Nichols; Matthew R. Miller; Noel W. Davies; Amber Goodchild; Mark Raftery; Ricardo Cavicchioli
• Keywords: Phosphatidylglycerol; Degree of unsaturation; Membrane Lipids; Glycerophospholipids

Direct analysis of membrane lipids by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry was used to demonstrate the role unsaturation in ether adaptation Methanococcoides burtonii low temperature. A proteomics approach using two-dimensional chromatography-mass identify enzymes involved lipid biosynthesis, and a pathway for biosynthesis reconstructed from M. draft genome sequence. The major phospholipids were archaeol phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, hydroxyarchaeol phosphatidylinositol. All phospholipid classes contained series unsaturated analogues, with degree dependent on class. proportion cells grown at 4 degrees C significantly higher than 23 C. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme synthase, farnesyl diphosphate geranylgeranyl synthase identified expressed proteome, most genes mevalonate processes leading formation phosphatidylinositol phosphatidylglycerol In addition, encodes CDP-inositol CDP-glycerol transferases number homologs plant reductase. It therefore appears that may be due incomplete reduction an precursor rather desaturase mechanism. This study shows cold involves specific changes unsaturation. also demonstrates global methods linked sequence can effectively combined infer mechanisms key biological processes.