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Cis–Trans Isomerase of Unsaturated Fatty Acids: An Immediate Bacterial Adaptive Mechanism to Cope with Emerging Membrane Perturbation Caused by Toxic Hydrocarbons

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Cellular Ecophysiology of Microbe

Part of the book series: Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology ((HHLM))

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Abstract

A rather efficient solvent adaptation mechanism enabling several gram-negative bacteria to tolerate and grow in the presence of membrane-disturbing compounds is the isomerization of cis- to trans-unsaturated membrane fatty acids. The degree of isomerization obviously depends on the toxicity and the concentration of membrane-affecting agents. Synthesis of trans-fatty acids comes about by direct isomerization of the respective cis-configuration of the double bond without shifting the position. The purpose of the conversion of the cis-configuration to trans is apparently the rapid adaptation of the membrane fluidity to rising temperature or the presence of toxic organic hydrocarbons.

The cis–trans-isomerase (Cti) is a constitutively expressed periplasmic enzyme that – to exert its action – necessitates neither ATP nor other cofactors, and consistently, is independent of de novo synthesis of lipids. A heme-binding site typical of cytochrome c-type proteins is present in the predicted Cti polypeptide indicating a reaction mechanism that renounces temporary saturation of the double bond. Due to its direct correlation with toxicity, cis–trans-isomerization is a potential biomarker for recording solvent stress or changes of other environmental conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany

    H. J. Heipieper & J. Fischer

  2. Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany

    F. Meinhardt

Authors
  1. H. J. Heipieper
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  2. J. Fischer
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  3. F. Meinhardt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. J. Heipieper .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones, Estacion Experimental del Zaidin, Granada, Spain

    Tino Krell

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Heipieper, H.J., Fischer, J., Meinhardt, F. (2016). Cis–Trans Isomerase of Unsaturated Fatty Acids: An Immediate Bacterial Adaptive Mechanism to Cope with Emerging Membrane Perturbation Caused by Toxic Hydrocarbons. In: Krell, T. (eds) Cellular Ecophysiology of Microbe. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20796-4_49-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20796-4_49-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-20796-4

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