5. DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS
257
on the phospholipids of S. cerevisiae by Hanahan and co-workers (84,
85) indicate the presence of phosphatidylcholine, -ethanolamine, -serine,
and -inositol. Small amounts of sphingomyelin and polyglycerophosphatide probably occur. There is also some evidence for lysophosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylserine, but this may have been
formed during the isolation procedure.
The simplicity of the yeast phospholipid composition extends to the
fatty acids, which are normal straight-chain acids. In both S. cerevisiae
and T. utilis, saturated acids occur to the extent of 14-16% of the total
(158, 159). The remainder of the fatty acids of S. cerevisiae are reported to be, primarily, oleic and palmitoleic (158) and in T. utilis,
oleic and linoleic in a ratio of 3:1 (159).
In fungi other than yeast, choline and ethanolamine have been reported as constituents of the phospholipids of Blast omyces dermatitidis
(160), Aspergillus sydowi (161), Penicillium chrysogenum
(162),
Oddium lactis (155), and Neurospora crassa (163). A positive Molisch
test indicates there may be carbohydrate in the phospholipids of the
first of these and in Monilia albicans also (164). Of other constituents,
serine and tyrosine have been reported in P. chrysogenum (162), and
serine, l-amino-2-methyl-2-propanol, and inositol in IV. crassa (163,
165). In A. sydowi and B. dermatitidis (161, 164) the fatty acids have
been reported to be of simple straight-chain types.
VI. The Phospholipids of Bacteria
The most striking aspect of the bacterial phospholipids is that one
or more of the classic nitrogenous components is often missing. The
principal exceptions are Phytomonas tumefaciens, in which the phosphospholipids are reported to yield equal amounts of choline and
ethanolamine and a small amount of unidentified amino acid (166),
and Bacillus "M" in which approximately 30% of the phospholipids are
associated with choline, ethanolamine, and serine (167). Choline has
been reported in the phospholipids of Lactobacillus acidophilus; however, it is a minor component and accounts for only a small part of the
total nitrogen (168). No ethanolamine is found. Ethanolamine has been
detected in hydrolyzates of phospholipids from Escherichia colt (169,
170), Salmonella typhi (171), Mycobacterium marianum (172), and
Vibrio cholerae (173). Choline is absent from the lipids of all these organisms. Two other species of Salmonella, S. ballerup (174) and S.
paratyphi (175), and two species of Mycobacterium, M. phlei (176)
and M. leprae (177), and Corynebacterium diphtheriae (178) have all
been reported to contain no lipid choline or ethanolamine.
No lack of variety exists in other nitrogenous components that have
257
on the phospholipids of S. cerevisiae by Hanahan and co-workers (84,
85) indicate the presence of phosphatidylcholine, -ethanolamine, -serine,
and -inositol. Small amounts of sphingomyelin and polyglycerophosphatide probably occur. There is also some evidence for lysophosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylserine, but this may have been
formed during the isolation procedure.
The simplicity of the yeast phospholipid composition extends to the
fatty acids, which are normal straight-chain acids. In both S. cerevisiae
and T. utilis, saturated acids occur to the extent of 14-16% of the total
(158, 159). The remainder of the fatty acids of S. cerevisiae are reported to be, primarily, oleic and palmitoleic (158) and in T. utilis,
oleic and linoleic in a ratio of 3:1 (159).
In fungi other than yeast, choline and ethanolamine have been reported as constituents of the phospholipids of Blast omyces dermatitidis
(160), Aspergillus sydowi (161), Penicillium chrysogenum
(162),
Oddium lactis (155), and Neurospora crassa (163). A positive Molisch
test indicates there may be carbohydrate in the phospholipids of the
first of these and in Monilia albicans also (164). Of other constituents,
serine and tyrosine have been reported in P. chrysogenum (162), and
serine, l-amino-2-methyl-2-propanol, and inositol in IV. crassa (163,
165). In A. sydowi and B. dermatitidis (161, 164) the fatty acids have
been reported to be of simple straight-chain types.
VI. The Phospholipids of Bacteria
The most striking aspect of the bacterial phospholipids is that one
or more of the classic nitrogenous components is often missing. The
principal exceptions are Phytomonas tumefaciens, in which the phosphospholipids are reported to yield equal amounts of choline and
ethanolamine and a small amount of unidentified amino acid (166),
and Bacillus "M" in which approximately 30% of the phospholipids are
associated with choline, ethanolamine, and serine (167). Choline has
been reported in the phospholipids of Lactobacillus acidophilus; however, it is a minor component and accounts for only a small part of the
total nitrogen (168). No ethanolamine is found. Ethanolamine has been
detected in hydrolyzates of phospholipids from Escherichia colt (169,
170), Salmonella typhi (171), Mycobacterium marianum (172), and
Vibrio cholerae (173). Choline is absent from the lipids of all these organisms. Two other species of Salmonella, S. ballerup (174) and S.
paratyphi (175), and two species of Mycobacterium, M. phlei (176)
and M. leprae (177), and Corynebacterium diphtheriae (178) have all
been reported to contain no lipid choline or ethanolamine.
No lack of variety exists in other nitrogenous components that have