title: Incorporation of fatty acids by Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: In a series of investigations into the cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans, we studied the incorporation of exogenous fatty acids with reference to glucosyltransferase secretion and membrane fatty acid changes. When cells were grown with different fatty acids, both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were readily incorporated into the membrane lipids and were biotransformed and elongated preferentially to the longer 16- and 18-carbon-chain fatty acids. This incorporation and chain-elongation led to significant changes in fatty acids composition. By adding fatty acids to the medium, it was possible to appropriately modify the degree of unsaturation and the relative ratio between specific fatty acids in the membrane lipids of S. mutans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Microbiology, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Namikawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takagi
mesh_terms: D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008563:Membrane Lipids