Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC-MS/APCI) with reversed- and chiral phases was used for separation of triacylglycerols (TAG) from protozoan and mold. This study describes the separation and identification of odd numbered chains of regioisomers and enantiomers of triacylglycerols from different natural sources, i.e., the protozoan Khawkinea quartana and the mold Mortierella alpina. Using the above-mentioned separation methods and the synthesis of appropriate standards of TAG, we identified regioisomers and enantiomers of both even and odd numbered TAG. The biosynthesis of odd numbered TAG was found to be strictly stereospecific and to depend on the production microorganism, one enantiomer predominating in the protozoan and the other in the mold. It was proved that even numbered TAG are synthesized in a higher optical purity, which can be explained by a higher affinity of acyltransferases to the respective substrate, i.e., to even chain PUFA.

• MeSH
• Euglena chemistry   MeSH
• Mass Spectrometry methods   MeSH
• Mortierella chemistry   MeSH
• Triglycerides chemistry   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid methods   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Triglycerides MeSH

We announce the completion of the genome sequence of a phenol derivative-degrading bacterium, Rhodococcus erythropolis strain CCM2595. This bacterium is interesting in the context of bioremediation for its capability to degrade phenol, catechol, resorcinol, hydroxybenzoate, hydroquinone, p-chlorophenol, p-nitrophenol, pyrimidines, and sterols.

• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

We used reversed phase liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for direct analysis of mycolic acids (MAs) from four different cultivations of Rhodococcus erythropolis. This technique enabled us to identify and quantify the specific molecular species of MAs directly from lipid extracts of the bacterium, including the determination of their basic characteristics such as retention time and mass spectra. We identified a total of 60 molecular species of MAs by means of LC/MS. In collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry, the [M-H](-) ions eliminated two residues, i.e., meroaldehyde and carboxylate anions containing α-alkyl chains. The structural information from these fragment ions affords structural assignment of the mycolic acids, including the lengths and number of double bond(s). Two strains, i.e., R. erythropolis CCM 2595 and genetically modified strain CCM 2595 pSRK 21 phe were cultivated on two different substrates (phenol and phenol with addition of humic acids as a sole carbon source). The addition of humic acids showed that there is a marked increase of unsaturated mycolic acids, mostly in the range of 20-100 %. This effect is more pronounced in the R. erythropolis CCM 2595 strain.

• MeSH
• Biotransformation MeSH
• Chromatography, Liquid MeSH
• Phenol metabolism   MeSH
• Humic Substances MeSH
• Culture Media chemistry   MeSH
• Mycolic Acids chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Rhodococcus chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Carbon metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Phenol MeSH
• Humic Substances MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Mycolic Acids MeSH
• Carbon MeSH

Plasmalogens are a group of lipids with potentially important, and not yet fully known, functions in organisms from bacteria to protozoans, invertebrates, and mammals. They can protect cells against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species, protect other phospholipids or lipoprotein particles against oxidative stress, and have been implicated as signaling molecules and modulators of membrane dynamics. They have been found in many anaerobic bacterial species, and their biosynthetic pathways differ in aerobic and anaerobic organisms. The use of advanced techniques permits the identification of not only plasmalogen classes but also their positional isomers and often also individual molecular species. This paper describes direct analyses of plasmalogens from natural sources, frequently very unusual, using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography and/or shotgun lipidomics.

• MeSH
• Bacteria chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Molecular Structure MeSH
• Molecular Weight MeSH
• Plasmalogens chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Plasmalogens MeSH