Macroamphiphilic components of thermophilic actinomycetes: identification of lipoteichoic acid in Thermobifida fusca.

ABSTRACT: The cell envelopes of gram-positive bacteria contain structurally diverse membrane-anchored macroamphiphiles (lipoteichoic acids and lipoglycans) whose functions are poorly understood. Since regulation of membrane composition is an important feature of adaptation to life at higher temperatures, we have examined the nature of the macroamphiphiles present in the thermophilic actinomycetes Thermobifida fusca and Rubrobacter xylanophilus. Following hot-phenol-water extraction and purification by hydrophobic interaction chromatography, Western blotting with a monoclonal antibody against lipoteichoic acid strongly suggested the presence of a polyglycerophosphate lipoteichoic acid in T. fusca. This structure was confirmed by chemical and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses, which confirmed that t

SUBMITTER: Rahman O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2612442 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature