Hypobaric bacteriology: growth, cytoplasmic membrane polarization and total cellular fatty acids in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

Escherichia coli JM109 (Gram-negative) and Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive) were grown under hypobaric conditions for 19 days at 25 °C to study the effects of 33 and 67 kPa low pressures on selected physiological responses; growth, cytoplasmic membrane polarization (measure of cytoplasmic membrane fluidity) and total cellular fatty acids. In the first experiment, cytoplasmic membrane polarization in B. subtilis increased under both hypobaric conditions, indicating the membrane became more rigid or less fluid. This experiment was repeated and the effect of the hypobaric conditions was not evident as in the first experiment with B. subtilis. In addition, total cellular fatty acids analysis for B. subtilis showed that hypobaric conditions did not alter the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids. The cytoplasmic membrane remained in the same fluid state in hypobaric grown E. coli cell cultures as in the 101 kPa ambient control cells in both experiments. However, the saturated to unsaturated ratios were altered in E. coli under hypobaric conditions. It is important to note the ratios for E. coli were less than 1, while the ratios for Bacillus were in the 28–50 range. Growth of both species was also measured by colony forming units at the termination of the 19 day experiment. Both bacterial species were capable of growth under hypobaric conditions and no distinct trend emerged as to the effect of hypobaric pressure on bacterial growth and cytoplasmic membrane fluidity.