Open AccessChanges in whole cell‐derived fatty acids induced by benzene and occurrence of the unusual 16:1ω6c in Rhodococcus sp. 33
Author(s) -
Gutiérrez José A.,
Nichols Peter,
Couperwhite Iain
Publication year - 1999
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.1574-6968.1999.tb13664.x
Subject(s) - benzene , chemistry , fatty acid , mannitol , rhodococcus , biochemistry , chromatography , food science , organic chemistry , enzyme
We report for the first time the fatty acid composition, as measured by capillary gas chromatography, of a Rhodococcus sp. when grown in the presence and absence of benzene. The organism increased its ratio of saturated/unsaturated fatty acids from 1.3 to 1.5 and 1.8 when grown on mannitol, benzene and mannitol+benzene, respectively. The observed increase in saturated fatty acids during growth in the presence of benzene is suggested as a possible mechanism to decrease the fluidity of the cell membrane to tolerate benzene. The organism was found to synthesize hexadecenoic acid, 16:1ω6c (11–13% of total fatty acids). This is an uncommon fatty acid and previously unreported in Rhodococcus spp.