Abstract
Summary Aminolipids were found to be widely distributed in methanogens. Some of them were major components of the polar lipids. The distribution of two aminolipids, a diether analog of phosphatidylserine and a phosphoethanolamine derivative of dibiphytanyl diglycerol tetraether, was studied using TLC. In addition to the simple comparison of TLC patterns, the introduction of radiolabeled internal standards greatly improved the reliability of TLC analysis of lipids. A ninhydrin-positive spot which cochromatographed with the 32 P-labelled diether analog of phosphatidylserine occurred as a major constituent in the total lipid in Methanobacteriaceae , but was abserit in Methanomicrobiaceae and Methanosarcinaceae . Using the same method, the ethanolamine-containing tetraether phospholipid was found only in the genera Methanobacterium and Methanosarcina . A highly polar phosphoglycolipid was found only in Methanobacteriaceae . An aminolipid which migrated on TLC between phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine was confined to Methanomicrobiaceae . It is suggested that the occurrence of these polar lipids be used for the grouping of methanogens at the family level.
Published Version
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