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

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... ing less amount of polyunsaturates and high amount of monounsaturates). The more polyunsaturated mitochondria were leakier to protons than the more monounsaturated mitochondria.