Open AccessPhospholipid fatty acid and infra‐red spectroscopic analysis of a sulphate‐reducing consortium
Author(s) -
Dowling Nicholas J.E.,
Nichols Peter D.,
White David C.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1988.tb02699.x
Subject(s) - phospholipid , chemistry , fermentation , desulfovibrio , biochemistry , bacteria , fatty acid , oxidizing agent , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , biology , sulfate , membrane , genetics
In order to validate unusual fatty acids as biomarkers for sulphate‐reducing bacteria, selective conditions were arranged for the enrichment of a marine glutamate‐fermenting bacterium which made hydrogen and acetate available for oxidation via the respiration of sulphate. Under these conditions the complete oxidation of glutamate via sulphate reduction accounted for 84% of the available electron equivalents. Fatty acid biomarkers for hydrogen‐oxidizing Desulfovibrio sp. (iso 17:1w7c and branched monoenoics) and for acetate‐oxidizing Desulfobacter (10 methyl 16:0) were detected in the enrichment. These biomarkers were demonstrated in pure cultures of Desulfovibrio sp. and Desulfobacter sp. obtained from the enrichment. The predominant glutamate‐fermenting bacterium isolated from the consortium contained no branched ester‐linked phospholipid fatty acids, and produced acetate and hydrogen. With energy limitation the enriched consortium produced increased amounts of extracellular polysaccharide and the endogenous storage lipid poly‐beta‐hydroxybutyrate as detected with Fourier transform/infra‐red (FT‐IR) spectroscopy.