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J Bacteriol. 1962 May; 83(5): 1084-1093
Copyright © 1962, The Williams & Wilkins Company. All Rights Reserved.

METABOLIC FUNCTION OF BRANCHED-CHAIN VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS, GROWTH FACTORS FOR RUMINOCOCCI II.

Biosynthesis of Higher Branched-Chain Fatty Acids and Aldehydes

Dairy Cattle Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland
Dairy Department, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

ABSTRACT

ALLISON, M. J. (Dairy Cattle Research Branch, USDA, Beltsville, Md.), M. P. BRYANT, I. KATZ, AND M. KEENEY. Metabolic function of branched-chain volatile fatty acids, growth factors for ruminococci. II. Biosynthesis of higher branched-chain fatty acids and aldehydes. J. Bacteriol. 83:1084–1093. 1962.—A number of strains of rumen bacteria require branched-chain volatile fatty acids for growth. A strain of Ruminococcus flavefaciens that requires either isovalerate or isobutyrate incorporates radioactive carbon from isovalerate-1-C¹⁴ and isovalerate-3-C¹⁴ into leucine and into the lipid fraction of the cells. Evidence obtained by both paper and gas chromatography indicated that most of the label in the lipid of cells grown in isovalerate-1-C¹⁴ was in a branched-chain 15-carbon fatty acid, with some in a 17-carbon acid; about 7.5% of the C¹⁴ was recovered in a branched-chain 15-carbon aldehyde. The aldehydes were in the phospholipid fraction and were presumably present as plasmalogen.

A strain of R. albus was shown to require isobutyrate, 2-methyl-n-butyrate, or 2-ketoisovalerate for growth. This strain did not incorporate appreciable C¹⁴ from isovalerate-1-C¹⁴ or isovalerate-3-C¹⁴. When grown in a medium containing isobutyrate-1-C¹⁴, most of the cellular C¹⁴ was found in the lipid fraction. Analysis of the lipid demonstrated that the label was present mainly as branched-chain 14-carbon and 16-carbon fatty acids, with 11% of the C¹⁴ present in 14- and 16-carbon carbonyl compounds, presumably branched-chain aldehydes.

Branched-chain 14-, 15-, and 16-carbon fatty acids are major components of the lipids of these rumen bacteria. The possibility that these acids and aldehydes, which are found in ruminant body and milk lipids, may be of microbial origin is discussed.

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