Membrane fluidization triggers membrane remodeling which affects the thermotolerance in Escherichia coli

Natalia Shigapova, Zsolt Török, Gábor Balogh, Pierre Goloubinoff, László Vígh, Ibolya Horváth*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

Treatment of Escherichia coli with non-lethal doses of heat or benzyl alcohol (BA) causes transient membrane fluidization and permeabilization, and induces the rapid transcription of heat-shock genes in a σ32- dependent manner. This early response is followed by a rapid adaptation (priming) of the cells to otherwise lethal elevated temperature, in strong correlation with an observed remodeling of the composition and alkyl chain unsaturation of membrane lipids. The acquisition of cellular thermotolerance in BA-primed cells is unrelated to protein denaturation and is not accompanied by the formation of major heat-shock proteins, such as GroEL and DnaK. This suggests that the rapid remodeling of membrane composition is sufficient for the short-term bacterial thermotolerance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1216-1223
Number of pages8
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume328
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 25 Mar 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Acquired thermotolerance
  • Heat stress
  • Lipid saturation
  • Membrane fluidity
  • Molecular chaperones
  • Thermosensor

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