FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF CELL WALL-CELL MEMBRANE FRACTION FROM BREVIBACTERIUM FLAVUM

Abstract

1. Cell wall-cell membrane fractions were prepared from the cells of Brevibacterium flavum No. 2247 (ATCC No. 14067) and their fatty acid compositions were examined. Cultures from which cells were collected were as follows: Biotin-deficient culture of glucose medium, biotin-excess culture of glucose medium, biotin-excess and penicillin-added culture of glucose medium, biotin-excess and stearic acid ester (Tween 60)-added culture of glucose medium, biotin-deficient culture of acetate medium, and biotin-excess culture of acetate medium.
2. Myristic, palmitic, stearic, octadecenoic, and octadecadienoic acids were detected in all the samples. In addition to these acids, cell wall-cell membrane fraction of acetate-grown cells contained unidentified fatty acid. The content of these fatty acids decreased in the order of palmitic acid, octadecenoic acid, stearic acid, octadecadienoic acid, and myristic acid. This order was observed without exception in every sample. Content of each of these fatty acids in cell wall-cell membrane fractions of the cells possessing an ability to produce glutamate was generally low in comparison with that of the respective fatty acids in cell wall-cell membrane fraction of cells lacking the ability to produce glutamate.