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J Bacteriol. 1968 August; 96(2): 318-321
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Substrate on the Fatty Acid Composition of Hydrocarbon- and Ketone-utilizing Microorganisms¹

^a Department of Microbiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

ABSTRACT

The fatty acid pattern in hydrocarbon- and ketone-utilizing bacteria after growth on various substrates was examined. The fatty acid composition of one hydrocarbon-utilizing organism (Mycobacterium sp. strain OFS) was investigated in detail after growth on n-alkanes, 1-alkenes, ketones, and n-alcohols. n-Alkanes shorter than C₁₃ or longer than C₁₇ were not incorporated into cellular fatty acids without some degradation. Strain OFS incorporated C₁₄ to C₁₇ 1-alkenes into cellular fatty acids as the -monoenoic fatty acid. Methyl ketones were incorporated into strain OFS after removal of one- or two-carbon fragments from the carbonyl end of the molecule. An organism isolated by enrichment on methyl ketones was incapable of n-alkane utilization but could grow on, although not incorporate, ketones or long chain n-alcohols into cellular fatty acids.

¹ Paper number 2607 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh, N.C. 27607.