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JOHN C. DITTMER
been reported in bacterial phospholipids; but these generally occur only
in trace amounts. Aspartic and glutamic acids, glutamine, and necrosamine have been reported in E. coli phospholipids (169). No less than
five amino acids have been reported in the various species of Salmonella
studied (174, 175, 179); four amino acids in diphtheria bacteria (178),
up to six in Mycobacterium (172), and seven in Vibrio cholerae excluding ornithine which is a major component (173).
Since the nitrogenous constituents of bacterial phospholipids already
set them apart from the phospholipids of plants and animals, it is not
surprising that they also differ with respect to the distribution of
inositol and carbohydrate. Of the genera studied, only Mycobacterium
consistently yields inositol on hydrolysis (177, 180, 181). It is not clear
exactly what the structure of the inositide is; however, De Sütö-Nagy
and Anderson (182) have isolated from the hydrolyzate of M. tuberculosis phospholipids a mannose-glyceryl diphosphate and a polysaccharide which yields on further hydrolysis two moles of mannose per
mole of inositol. Phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidyl-D-mannose, phosphatidic acid, and a dimannoside of phosphatidylinositol have also been
isolated (181, 183). The last two compounds contain saturated fatty
acids only. Other bacterial phospholipids, those from S. ballerup (174)
and S. paratyphi (175) have been reported to contain no carbohydrate
or inositol although galactose phosphate has been isolated from S. typhi
(171). A polysaccharide is associated with the phospholipids of Lactobacillus acidophilus which on further hydrolysis yields galactose, glucose, and fructose (168).
The isolation of glycerol phosphate from hydrolyzates of most bacterial lipids suggests that the classic glycerophosphatide structure may
be present. An interesting exception to this is the report of Chargaff
(184) of the complete absence of glycerol from
Corynebacterium
diphtheriae lipids. This was confirmed by Takahashi (185), who found
dihydroxyacetone instead. The reported isolation of a compound resembling the cardiolipin of heart from this organism is directly contrary to the evidence for the absence of glycerol (186).
The fatty acids of bacteria are distinguished by the presence of
branched chain, hydroxy- and cyclic-type structures which are often
found in only one species, for example, mycolipenic acid in M. tuberculosis (187). Not all these acids are found in the phospholipids, nor is
any one known to be confined to the phospholipids alone. Other acids,
although found only in bacteria, are more widely distributed. Phytomonic acid found in the phospholipids of Phytomonas tumefaciens has
been identified by Hofmann and Tausig (188) with lactobacillic acid
which is found in Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. arabinosus, and L. casei.
JOHN C. DITTMER
been reported in bacterial phospholipids; but these generally occur only
in trace amounts. Aspartic and glutamic acids, glutamine, and necrosamine have been reported in E. coli phospholipids (169). No less than
five amino acids have been reported in the various species of Salmonella
studied (174, 175, 179); four amino acids in diphtheria bacteria (178),
up to six in Mycobacterium (172), and seven in Vibrio cholerae excluding ornithine which is a major component (173).
Since the nitrogenous constituents of bacterial phospholipids already
set them apart from the phospholipids of plants and animals, it is not
surprising that they also differ with respect to the distribution of
inositol and carbohydrate. Of the genera studied, only Mycobacterium
consistently yields inositol on hydrolysis (177, 180, 181). It is not clear
exactly what the structure of the inositide is; however, De Sütö-Nagy
and Anderson (182) have isolated from the hydrolyzate of M. tuberculosis phospholipids a mannose-glyceryl diphosphate and a polysaccharide which yields on further hydrolysis two moles of mannose per
mole of inositol. Phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidyl-D-mannose, phosphatidic acid, and a dimannoside of phosphatidylinositol have also been
isolated (181, 183). The last two compounds contain saturated fatty
acids only. Other bacterial phospholipids, those from S. ballerup (174)
and S. paratyphi (175) have been reported to contain no carbohydrate
or inositol although galactose phosphate has been isolated from S. typhi
(171). A polysaccharide is associated with the phospholipids of Lactobacillus acidophilus which on further hydrolysis yields galactose, glucose, and fructose (168).
The isolation of glycerol phosphate from hydrolyzates of most bacterial lipids suggests that the classic glycerophosphatide structure may
be present. An interesting exception to this is the report of Chargaff
(184) of the complete absence of glycerol from
Corynebacterium
diphtheriae lipids. This was confirmed by Takahashi (185), who found
dihydroxyacetone instead. The reported isolation of a compound resembling the cardiolipin of heart from this organism is directly contrary to the evidence for the absence of glycerol (186).
The fatty acids of bacteria are distinguished by the presence of
branched chain, hydroxy- and cyclic-type structures which are often
found in only one species, for example, mycolipenic acid in M. tuberculosis (187). Not all these acids are found in the phospholipids, nor is
any one known to be confined to the phospholipids alone. Other acids,
although found only in bacteria, are more widely distributed. Phytomonic acid found in the phospholipids of Phytomonas tumefaciens has
been identified by Hofmann and Tausig (188) with lactobacillic acid
which is found in Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. arabinosus, and L. casei.