RelA1 gene control of Escherichia coli lipid structure and cell performance during glucose limited fed-batch conditions

At increasing glucose limitation, typical for fed-batch cultivation performance, cultivation of Escherichia coli (relA1) results in development of a lipid structure that radically differs from the wild type and is characterised by accumulation of neutral phospholipids and saturated fatty acids. The mutant can, furthermore, not change the level of cardiolipin, which is generally the hallmark of changes to severe glucose limitation. The result suggests an increased negative control in the mutant with respect to the flux to phosphatidyl glycerol and cardolipin as well as to unsaturated fatty acids. Opposite to the wild type, the cardiolipin-depleted membrane is more fragile with respect to sonication and osmotic chock, at severe limitation, and results in extensive foaming during the process. Protein leakage and cell lysis is, however, lower in the mutant most likely due to the increased amounts of saturated fatty acids, which might be a possible strategy to overcome the reduced amounts of membrane-strengthening cardiolipin. The membrane potential of the outer surface is negative, however less negative for the mutant. This was supported by aqueous two-phase extraction experiments which, furthermore indicated a difference in outer surface hydrofobicity. These findings suggest that the relA1 gene has a defined, but ppGpp-independent, role in cells with a slowly decreasing metabolism of glucose to control the membrane morphology.