Dynamics and Structural Responses to Cis-Trans Isomerization in Bacterial Lipid Bilayers.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial and eukaryotic cells must respond to a changing environment and have multiple adaptive mechanisms to respond to environmental stresses. Exogenous stresses, such as temperature fluctuations and osmotic pressure, are known to influence cell membrane fluidity and gene expression. To maintain membrane homeostasis, Gram-negative bacteria show a short-term membrane composition response to temperature changes. Specifically, these bacteria isomerize unsaturated fatty acid tails in their bilayers, switching unsaturation sites from the more common cis isomer to the trans isomer. Cis-trans isomerization in unsaturated fatty acids increases cell membrane rigidity, decreasing the fluidity of the lipid acyl tails. These changes maintain membrane homeostasis, but the effect size is difficult to

SUBMITTER: Raza S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12809570 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature