The lipids of Listeria monocytogenes

Abstract

The Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes was found to contain 6–7%, based on dry weight, of chloroform-soluble lipid, which consisted of neutral and polar lipids in a ratio of about 1 to 4. Diglycerides made up most of the neutral fraction and the polar lipids were mainly phospholipids of the phosphatidylglycerol type, together with a glycolipid containing glucose and galactose. The fatty acids consisted of straight- and branched-chain saturated acids, with C15 and C17 anteiso acids accounting for about 80% of the total. The same fatty acids were found in all fractions studied, but the proportions varied somewhat in different lipid classes.