LIPIDS OF HALOBACTERIUM CUTIRUBRUM

Abstract

Cells of Halobacterium cutirubrum contain about 2% of total lipids (including pigments) on a salt-free, dry weight basis. Almost all of the lipids (93%) are phosphatides, the remainder being carotenoid pigments. The phosphatide components are unusual in that they contain almost no fatty acid ester groups, but instead appear to have long-chain alkyl groups joined by ether linkages to glycerol. Most of the phosphatide fraction (73%) consists of a single component which is believed to be a long-chain ether analogue of diphosphatidyl glycerol. Small amounts of lecithin, lysolecithin, phosphatidyl inositol, and phosphatidyl glycerol also appear to be present.