Elucidation of the acetic acid response mechanism depending on the phospholipid acyl chain structure of acetic acid bacteria

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K14776
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Toyotake Yosuke 立命館大学, 生命科学部, 助教 (60843977)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 酢酸菌 / エタノール応答 / 酢酸応答 / 環境ストレス応答 / 細胞膜 / 脂肪酸 / アシル転移酵素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found a new correlation between the structure and function of plasma membrane fatty acids in the ethanol and acetic acid stress responses of Acetobacter species. Our results indicate the physiological importance of unsaturated fatty acids produced by Acetobacter species and suggest that Acetobacter species respond to external stress by incorporating free fatty acids according to their structures from the environment into specific lipids. We also found that Acetobacter species possess three AGPAT family proteins involved in phospholipid biosynthesis, one of which contributes to the acid stress tolerance.

Free Research Field

発酵微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

酢酸菌のストレス応答戦略を明らかにする試みは古くから行われてきたが、膜脂質の観点からの研究は現象の観察に留まり、膜脂質の分子レベルでの機能の理解は進んでいない。本研究は、酢酸菌の膜脂肪酸が担う構造依存的な生理的役割の一端を明らかにし、ストレス応答に関与する機能未知の脂質代謝関連遺伝子を新たに発見した点で意義がある。また、本研究で培養環境中に含まれる特定の成分 (脂肪酸) が酢酸菌の発酵生理に与える新奇な現象を捉えたことから、発酵プロセス開発に新しい視点を提供する可能性を示した。