Dietary fatty acids alter mitochondrial phospholipid fatty acyl composition and proton leak in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Two groups of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) were maintained on different diets. Mitochondria were isolated, proton leak was measured and phospholipid fatty acid composition determined. Mitochondria from flies fed on corn-base meal (containing high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 18:2(n-6) and 18:3(n-3) and low amounts of monounsaturated fatty
acid, 18:1(n-9)) contained more polyunsaturated fatty acids in their membranes than mitochondria from flies fed on yeast-base meal (containing less amount of polyunsaturates and high amount of monounsaturates). The more polyunsaturated mitochondria were leakier to
protons than the more monounsaturated mitochondria.