Coordinated regulation of cold-induced changes in fatty acids with cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol composition among phospholipid species for the food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.

We present here the structural identification of four phospholipid (Phl) classes in Listeria monocytogenes, the fatty acid (FA) composition for each individual Phl species, and a description of cold-induced FA changes. Cardiolipin (48.5%) and phosphatidylglycerol (18.1%) are dominated by anteiso-FA, and the previously recognized branched FA chain shortening by cold was observed singularly in these Phls. Phosploaminolipid (19.9%) and phosphatidylinositol, (9.1%) are significantly different, containing significant amounts of straight-chain FA. These findings are supported by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis.