Question

You have just discovered an organism that lives in extremely cold environments. Which of the following would you predict to be true about the phospholipids in its membranes, compared to phospholipids in the membranes of organisms that live in warmer environments?

Answer 1

Answer:

The membrane phospholipids of cold-adapted organisms will have a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acid tails.

Explanation:

The phospholipid tails present in the membranes may or may not have double bonds. The phospholipid tails with no double bonds are able to pack tightly which in turn makes the membrane more rigid. The fatty acid tails with one or more double bonds have kinks that do not allow them to pack tightly. Since membranes become more rigid at lower temperatures, the organisms adapted to cold conditions have more of the phospholipids with unsaturated fatty acid tails in their membranes