Influence of phosphorus on the composition of polar lipids of Actinomyces olivaceus.

The influence of phosphorus on the composition of the lipids of Act. olivaceus was studied. It was found that the phosphorus content in the culture medium can serve as a regulator of the synthesis of definite lipids. In the presence of a phosphorus deficiency in the medium (0.0006 g/100 ml), not only the ratio of the polar and neutral fractions, but also the composition of the polar lipids changes, namely: The content of cardiolipin and phosphatidylinositol mannoside is decreased; the content of phosphatidylethanolamine drops from 25.6% to 1.25%. An ornithine-containing lipid is detected among the polar lipids (4--4.5%). Changes in the composition of the membrane lipids are not accompanied by any visible sharp changes in the structural organization of the membrane apparatus.