Studies on phospholipids of different mutants of Salmonella minnesota

Lipid composition of the cells of smooth (S form) and core-defective rough mutants (Ra, Rb & Re) of Salmonella minnesota has been studied. The readily-extractable lipids (RELs), acid-extractable lipids, and polar and nonpolar phospholipids have been analysed. Fatty acid composition of the different fractions containing phospholipids and other neutral lipids have been determined by GLC and GC-MS techniques. Phosphatidyl glycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and diphosphatidyl glycerol (DPG) were the major phospholipids present in all the strains. The major saturated fatty acid found was C16:0, and unsaturated fatty acids were, C16:1 and C18:1. Cyclopropane fatty acids, C17cy and C19cy, were also present in small amounts. Increased amounts of REL and unsaturated fatty acids were found in the mutants compared with the smooth strain. The amount of PG and PE decreased and DPG increased in the mutant strains.