T. Ohtsu et al., HOW DROSOPHILA SPECIES ACQUIRE COLD TOLERANCE - QUALITATIVE CHANGES OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS, European journal of biochemistry, 252(3), 1998, pp. 608-611
Phospholipids of many cold-tolerant organisms have been reported to co
ntain more unsaturated fatty acids than cold-susceptible organisms, a
phenomenon known to maintain membrane fluidity at low temperature. How
ever, we have obtained results to the contrary through a comparison of
the membrane phospholipids of six temperate and subtropical species b
elonging to the Drosophila melanogaster species group. With enhancemen
t of cold tolerance, the percentages of monoenoic acids increased but
the percentages of dienoic acids decreased, that is, the number of dou
ble bonds in the phospholipid decreased without a marked variation in
the percentages of unsaturated fatty acids. Concomitantly, the percent
age of fatty acids containing 16 carbon atoms increased, while that of
fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms decreased. Since phosphatidylethanol
amine is a dominant phospholipid in Drosophila, these changes probably
contribute to keeping the homeoviscosity of the cellular membranes in
a manner different to that in phosphatidylcholine-rich membranes, the
reby increasing cold tolerance.