Abstract
The microbial cell membrane is affected by physicochemical parameters, such as temperature and pH, but also by the specific growth rate of the host organism. Homeoviscous adaption describes the process of maintaining membrane fluidity and permeability throughout these environmental changes. Archaea, and thereby, Sulfolobus spp. exhibit a unique lipid composition of ether lipids, which are altered in regard to the ratio of diether to tetraether lipids, number of cyclopentane rings and type of head groups, as a coping mechanism against environmental changes. The main biotechnological application of the membrane lipids of Sulfolobus spp. are so called archaeosomes. Archaeosomes are liposomes which are fully or partly generated from archaeal lipids and harbor the potential to be used as drug delivery systems for vaccines, proteins, peptides and nucleic acids. This review summarizes the influence of environmental parameters on the cell membrane of Sulfolobus spp. and the biotechnological applications of their membrane lipids.
Highlights
Membranes are an important barrier between the cell and extracellular space and act as a physical barrier as well as a gatekeeper
The ring index (RI) number is positively correlated with temperature, while decreasing when the growth rate increases
The diether lipids (DEL):tetraether lipids (TEL) ratio was shown to change in response to temperature as well as growth rate
Summary
Membranes are an important barrier between the cell and extracellular space and act as a physical barrier as well as a gatekeeper. Maintaining membrane permeability and fluidity throughout changes in environmental parameters like temperature, pH, pressure, mechanical stress, energy availability and others, is a key step for ensuring optimal membrane function and viability of the cell Cells can achieve this by altering the lipid composition of their membranes [1]. A specific ratio between the lipids forming bilayer and non-bilayer was proposed to be maintained in E. coli [5,6] This phenomenon of organisms altering their membrane lipid compositions in response to changes in their environmental conditions has been observed in all three domains of life. Adjustments in unsaturation levels, hydrocarbon chain-length or polar head group compositions have been observed as an adaption mechanism to changes in temperature, pressure, pH and growth phase [7,8] Typical shortcomings of complex media like batch-to-batch variability, as well as the occurrence of inhibiting compounds, can be eliminated, while average specific growth rate and final cell density of the model Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius match the Brock medium [28]
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