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Cis–Trans Isomerase of Unsaturated Fatty Acids: An Immediate Bacterial Adaptive Mechanism to Cope with Emerging Membrane Perturbation Caused by Toxic Hydrocarbons

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Cellular Ecophysiology of Microbe: Hydrocarbon and Lipid Interactions

Part of the book series: Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology ((HHLM))

Abstract

A rather efficient solvent adaptation mechanism enabling several gram-negative bacteria to tolerate and grow in the presence of membrane-disturbing compounds is the isomerization of cis- to trans-unsaturated membrane fatty acids. The degree of isomerization obviously depends on the toxicity and the concentration of membrane-affecting agents. Synthesis of trans-fatty acids comes about by direct isomerization of the respective cis-configuration of the double bond without shifting the position. The purpose of the conversion of the cis-configuration to trans is apparently the rapid adaptation of the membrane fluidity to rising temperature or the presence of toxic organic hydrocarbons.

The cis–trans-isomerase (Cti) is a constitutively expressed periplasmic enzyme that – to exert its action – necessitates neither ATP nor other cofactors, and consistently, is independent of de novo synthesis of lipids. A heme-binding site typical of cytochrome c-type proteins is present in the predicted Cti polypeptide indicating a reaction mechanism that renounces temporary saturation of the double bond. Due to its direct correlation with toxicity, cis–trans-isomerization is a potential biomarker for recording solvent stress or changes of other environmental conditions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Hermann J. Heipieper

  2. Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany

    F. Meinhardt

  3. Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany

    J. Fischer

Authors
  1. Hermann J. Heipieper
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  2. J. Fischer
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  3. F. Meinhardt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hermann J. Heipieper .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain

    Tino Krell

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Heipieper, H.J., Fischer, J., Meinhardt, F. (2018). Cis–Trans Isomerase of Unsaturated Fatty Acids: An Immediate Bacterial Adaptive Mechanism to Cope with Emerging Membrane Perturbation Caused by Toxic Hydrocarbons. In: Krell, T. (eds) Cellular Ecophysiology of Microbe: Hydrocarbon and Lipid Interactions. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50542-8_49

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