title: Reduction of the monounsaturated fatty acid content of Escherichia coli results in increased resistance to oxidative damage.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROSs) affect several macromolecules and cellular components in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. In this work, the effect of various ROS-generating compounds on the Escherichia coli membrane was studied. Membrane fatty acid profiles, oxidative damage levels and bacterial resistance to these toxicants were determined. Studies included wild-type cells as well as a strain exhibiting a modified monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) profile (accomplished by overexpressing the β-hydroxyacyl acyl carrier protein dehydratase-encoding gene, fabA). Levels of membrane MUFAs and oxidative damage markers decreased slightly upon toxicant exposure with a concomitant increase in cell resistance to these ROS-generating compounds. A direct relationship between MUFAs and lipid peroxidation was observed. The lower the MUFA the lower the peroxide levels, suggesting that MUFAs are targets for membrane lipid oxidation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Gonzalo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pradenas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Braulio A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Paillavil
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reyes-Cerpa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pérez-Donoso
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Claudio C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Vásquez
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D054889:Fatty Acid Synthase, Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000378:metabolism*; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; C047118:3-hydroxyacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) dehydratase; D054889:Fatty Acid Synthase, Type II