Membrane studies of Streptococcus pyogenes and its L-form growing in hypertonic and physiologically isotonic media. An electron spin resonance spectroscopy approach.

Electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) was used to compare the lipid organization, thermal stability and the physical state of the membrane of a human pathogen, Streptococcus pyogenes and its osmotically fragile L-form with this same L-form now adapted to grow under physiologically isotonic conditions (physiological L-form). Comparison of the hyperfine splittings of a derivative of 5-ketostearic acid spin label, I(12, 3), after incorporation into the membrane, revealed that the lipid chain rigidity of these membranes is in the order physiological L-form greater than osmotically fragile L-form greater than streptococcus. The signal intensity (of the center magnetic field line) versus temperature analysis showed two transitions for these membranes. The first with melting points of 45, 26 and 36 degrees C and second transition at 70, 63 and 60 degrees C for the physiological L-form, osmotically fragile L-form and streptococcal membranes, respectively. This same order of membrane lipid chain rigidity was seen from the cooperativities obtained for each of these systems from analysis based on the expression for an n-order reaction. The I(12, 3) and other probes with the paramagnetic group close to the methyl end of the molecule suggested that this difference in lipid chain rigidity between these organisms resides in the environment closer to the lipid head group region rather than in the hydrophobic lipid core. Another major finding was the binding of I(12, 3) at two or more different sites in each of the membranes examined. This change in lipid chain rigidity now provides an explanation to account for the survival of a previously osmotically fragile L-form in physiologically isotonic media by focusing on changes in the physical nature of its membrane. In so doing, it adds to and reinforces the speculation of the potential survival in vivo and involvement in pathogenesis of osmotically fragile aberrant forms of bacteria.