Carotenoids are used as regulators for membrane fluidity by Staphylococcus xylosus.

ABSTRACT: Carotenoids are associated with several important biological functions as antenna pigments in photosynthesis or protectives against oxidative stress. Occasionally they were also discussed as part of the cold adaptation mechanism of bacteria. For two Staphylococcus xylosus strains we demonstrated an increased content of staphyloxanthin and other carotenoids after growth at 10 °C but no detectable carotenoids after grow at 30 °C. By in vivo measurements of generalized polarization and anisotropy with two different probes Laurdan and TMA-DPH we detected a strong increase in membrane order with a simultaneous increase in membrane fluidity at low temperatures accompanied by a broadening of the phase transition. Increased carotenoid concentration was also correlated with an increased resistance

SUBMITTER: Seel W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6962212 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature