The lipid phase of thylakoid and cytoplasmic membranes from the blue green algae cyanobacteria anacystis nidulans and anabaena variabilis
Wada, H.; Hirasawa, R.; Omata, T.; Murata, N.
Plant and Cell Physiology 25(6): 907-912
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0032-0781
Accession: 006711123
The lipid phases of the thylakoid and cytoplasmic membranes from the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans were studied by a spin-probe method using 2-(14-carboxytetradecyl)-2-ethyl-4,4-dimethyl-3-oxazolidinyloxyl. The thylakoid and cytoplasmic membranes of this alga were both in the liquid crystalline state at growth temperature and in the phase separation state at .apprx. 0.degree. C. The thylakoid membranes entered the phase separation state at a temperature higher than the cytoplasmic membranes. The lipid phase of the thylakoid membranes from Anabaena variabilis was studied in a similar way, and these membranes also underwent the phase transition. The temperature for the onset of the phase separation and the fluidity of the membrane lipids of both algae depended on the growth temperature of the culture.