UNICOHS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HEALTH

SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL MEDICINAL

NAME: KWAMBWA JOSEPHINE

ID NUMBER: 1000271120

INTAKE: JANUARTY 2024

COURSE: MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTRY

COURSE CODE: MBC 110

PROGRAM: DIPLOMA IN CLINICAL MEDICINE

LECTURER: MS MOONGA

DATE GIVEN: 9TH FEBRUARY 2024

DUE DATE: 16TH FEBRUARY 2024

Bacteria are an essential part of the ecosystem. They are crucial to human health and the
environment, have an important role in food production and provide bioengineers with tools to
harness their properties and manufacture compounds. However, they can also be harmful,
causing damage and disease. The ability to grow these microbes is therefore an essential step in
being able to utilize their power, identify harmful culprits and advance our understanding and
capabilities. In this scholarly paper two important questions will be considered that is:

 A culture of bacteria growing at 37°C was shifted to 25°C. How would you expect this
shift to alter the fatty acid composition of the membrane phospholipids? Explain.
 Compare and contrast two individuals, one of whose diet consists largely of meats
containing high levels of cholesterol, and the other of whose diet is rich in plant sterols.
Are their risks of cardiovascular disease likely to be similar or different? Explain your
reasoning

Temperature is one of the most important factors in all living organisms for survival. Being a
unicellular organism, bacterium requires sensitive sensing and defense mechanisms to tolerate
changes in temperature. During a temperature shift, the structure and composition of various
cellular molecules including nucleic acids, proteins, and membranes are affected. In addition,
numerous genes are induced during heat or cold shocks to overcome the cellular stresses, which
are known as heat- and cold-shock proteins. In this review, we describe the cellular phenomena
that occur with temperature change and bacterial responses from a molecular perspective.
Cronan, & Gelmann, (1975).

According to Cronan, & Gelmann, (1975: 39), 'Bacterial culture is a method that allows the
multiplication of bacterial cells in or on a culture medium under controlled laboratory conditions.
The exact conditions required for optimal replication will depend on the target bacterial species.'

The ability of bacteria to control the biophysical properties of their membrane phospholipids
allows them to thrive in a wide range of physical environments. Bacteria precisely adjust their
membrane lipid composition by modifying the types of fatty acids that are produced by the
biosynthetic pathway and altering the structures of pre-existing phospholipids. The recycling of
phospholipids that are used as intermediates in the biosynthesis of other major membrane
components is also crucial to bilayer stability in dividing cells. (Alderson, Kim, & Markley,
2016)

The ability of bacteria to control the biophysical properties of their membrane phospholipids
allows them to thrive in a wide range of physical environments.

Fatty acid biosynthesis is an energy-intensive biosynthetic pathway, and the production of the
building blocks for membrane phospholipids is precisely regulated to match the rate of cell
division.

Bacteria control the homeostasis of membrane lipid biophysical properties by altering the chain
length of fatty acids, as well as the ratio of saturated: unsaturated fatty acids. The de novo, type II
fatty acid biosynthetic pathway is a major focal point for the regulation of fatty acid composition.

Bacteria can alter the physical properties of existing phospholipids by introducing cis double
bonds into saturated acyl chains, thereby converting cis double bonds into cyclopropane rings
and catalysing the isomerization of cis fatty acids to their trans conformations.

Phospholipids are used as intermediates in the formation of major structural constituents of the
cell. Managing the metabolism of the lipid by-products of these biosynthetic pathways is
important to prevent the accumulation of membrane-disruptive lipids and to conserve the energy
that is invested in the biosynthesis of the fatty acids.

Modification of phosphatidylglycerol by the attachment of a lysine residue to the glycerol head

group is an adaptive response that is used by pathogens to increase their resistance to cationic
antibacterial peptides (defensins) that are produced by the innate immune system.

Upon the shift to the lower temperature, the bacterium may look for ways to lower the melting
point of its membrane phospholipids so that the membranes will remain in a liquid state at 25°C.
Strategies that could be used include using a higher percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in the
synthesis of the membrane phospholipids. Alternatively, the same effect could be achieved by
using shorter chain fatty acids. These strategies both aim to disrupt the non-covalent vander
Waals interactions that favor the solid state. Alderson, Kim, & Markley, (2016)
Attempting the second part of this paper, Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as
cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, obesity, and cognitive
impairment are among the leading causes of death and disability throughout the world, affecting
populations in developed as well as developing countries. Although there are established genetic
and environmental contributors to NCD risk, modifiable lifestyle-related factors play a large role
at the individual level. Stipanuk & Caudill (2016). Stated that Dietary choices, for example,
contribute to the risk for developing hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, overweight/obesity,
and inflammation, which in turn increase the risk for diseases that are associated with significant
morbidity and mortality, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Indeed, the
marked rise in chronic NCDs has a causal link to global dietary patterns that are becoming
increasingly Westernized, being characterized by high levels of fatty and processed meats,
saturated fats, refined grains, salt, and sugars but lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Their risks of cardiovascular disease are likely to be different. A diet that is high in plant sterols
will reduce the level of cholesterol in the body. Plant sterols and cholesterol have the same basic
structure, but contain different side groups and have a different configuration. Plant sterols, on
the other hand, are found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Individual 1 is likely consuming a diet high in saturated and trans fats, which can increase their
levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

In summary, Healthy diets, arising either by tradition or design, share many common features
and generally align with the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of
Noncommunicable Diseases. In comparison with a Western diet, these healthier alternatives are
higher in plant-based foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds,
and nuts and lower in animal-based foods, particularly fatty and processed meats. Evidence from
epidemiologic studies and clinical trials indicates that these types of dietary patterns reduce risks
of NCDs ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer. Further endeavors are needed to
integrate these healthy dietary and lifestyle choices into daily living in communities throughout
the world and to make healthy eating accessible, achievable, and sustainable
 References

Cronan, J. E. Jr & Gelmann, E. P. (1975). Physical properties of membrane lipids: biological

relevance and regulation. Bacteriol. London :Oxford Pres.

Alderson, T. R., Kim, J. H., & Markley, J. L. (2016). Dynamical structures of Hsp70 and Hsp70-
Hsp40 complexes. Structure. London, England.

Harris, S. F., Shiau, A. K., & Agard, D. A. (2004). The crystal structure of the carboxy-terminal
dimerization domain of htpG the Escherichia coli Hsp90, reveals a potential substrate binding
site. Structure (London, England: 1993)

Stipanuk M.H., Caudill M.A. (2016). Structure and Properties of the Macronutrients. In:
Stipanuk M.H., Caudill M.A., editors. Biochemistry, Physiology and Molecular Aspects of
Human Nutrition. 3rd ed. Elsevier Saunders; St. Louis, MO, USA: