Chaulmoogric acid: assimilation into the complex lipids of mycobacteria.

Lipid analysis of Mycobacterium vaccae, grown in the presence of chaulmoogric acid, demonstrates that this cyclopentenyl fatty acid is taken up by the organism and incorporated into cellular phospholipids and triacylglycerols. As cell growth is retarded by the addition of chaulmoogric acid to the growth medium, it is possible that the antimicrobial properties of this compound results from a perturbation of membrane processes.