Phospholipid composition of Rickettsia prowazeki grown in chicken embryo yolk sacs

The phospholipid composition and phospholipid fatty acid composition of purified Rickettsia prowazeki were determined. The lipid phosphorous content was 6.8 +/- 1.3 microgram/mg of total rickettsial protein. The major phospholipid was phosphatidylethanolamine (60 to 70%); phosphatidylglycerol constituted 20%, and phosphatidylcholine constituted 15%. Small amounts of phosphatidylserine and cardiolipin were detected. The principal fatty acids were 18:1, 16:1, and 16:0. The fatty acid composition of the phosphatidylcholine in the rickettsial extracts was very different than that of the other rickettsial phosphatides and very similar to that of normal yolk sac phosphatidylcholine. The specific of the phosphatidylcholine of rickettsiae grown in the presence of 32P was markedly lower than that of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. It is suggested that the phosphatidylcholine in the rickettsial extract is yolk sac derived and either tightly absorbed or exchanged into the rickettsial membrane.