The Effect of Membrane Fatty Acid Composition on the Radiosensitivity of E. coli K-1060

The radiosensitivity of the E. coli fatty acid auxotroph K-1060 has been shown to increase with the number of carbon-carbon double bonds in the fatty acid used in the growth medium. This increase applies to bacteria irradiated under both anoxic and oxic conditions. It is suggested that the primary mechanism underlying these observations may involve a slow postirradiation peroxidative process.