Open AccessBiodegradation of phytane (2,6,10,14‐tetramethylhexadecane) and accumulation of related isoprenoid wax esters by Mycobacterium ratisbonense strain SD4 under nitrogen‐starved conditions
Author(s) -
Silva Roxana A.,
Grossi Vincent,
Alvarez Héctor M.
Publication year - 2007
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.1574-6968.2007.00770.x
Subject(s) - pristane , phytane , wax , biodegradation , chemistry , strain (injury) , hexadecane , paraffin wax , food science , hydrocarbon , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry , anatomy
The accumulation of storage lipids during the biodegradation of 2,6,10,14‐tetramethylhexadecane (phytane) by Mycobacterium ratisbonense strain SD4 grown under nitrogen‐starved conditions was investigated. Detailed chemical analysis of intracellular metabolites revealed the existence of (at least) three different pathways for the catabolism of phytane, and the accumulation of significant proportions (39% of the total lipids) of several isoprenoid wax esters formed by condensation of oxidation products of the hydrocarbon. In contrast, triacylglycerols but no wax esters were accumulated by strain SD4 grown on hexadecane, the unbranched homologue of phytane.