Failure of Escherichia coli to alter its fatty acid composition in response to cholesterol-induced changes in membrane fluidity

Abstract

Substantial amounts of exogenously supplied cholesterol were incorporated into the membranes of E. coli during growth and caused a large decrease in membrane fluidity. Although no compensatory changes in fatty acid composition were observed, the incorporation of cholesterol did not affect the rate of growth of E. coli or interfere with the changes in fatty acid composition which normally occur during growth at different temperatures.