Influence of Unsaturated Fatty Acids, Membrane Fluidity and Oxygenation on the Survival of anE. ColiFatty Acid Auxotroph Following γ-irradiation

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Abstract
E. coli K1060, a fatty acid auxotroph unable to synthesize or degrade unsaturated fatty acids (uFA), was used to study the effect of membrane fluidity on survival after exposure to ionizing radiation. With this strain of E. coli, significant alterations in the fatty acid composition of the membrane were produced and verified by gas chromatography. Linolenic, oleic, elaidic and palmitelaidic acids were the uFA used. Survival above the transition temperature (Tt) (liquid crystal .dblarw. gel) was comparable for these fatty-acid-supplemented membranes after exposure to .gamma.-irradiation. Irradiation below Tt resulted in a significant decrease in survival. An O2 enhancement effect occurred for each experimental condition employed.