Fatty Acids of Vegetative Cells and Spores of Bacillus licheniformis

Abstract

Lipids were extracted from vegetative cells and spores of Bacillus licheniformis. Vegetative cells were grown in nutrient broth and spores on nutrient agar. Total lipid approximated 2.89% of the dry weight of vegetative cells and 2.09% of the dry weight of spores. The fatty acids were prepared as methyl esters and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. There were six fatty acids in concentrations greater than 5% of the total lipid in both spores and vegetative cells, but only palmitic acid was common to both. Fatty acids from vegetative cells in quantities of 5% or more of the total lipid material were lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, and linoleic acids. Fatty acids from spores in concentrations greater than 5% of the total lipid were isopentadecylic, palmitic, Carbon-17 iso, and three other long or branched chain fatty acids which were not identified. Spores contained more long and branched chain fatty acids with odd numbers of carbon atoms than did vegetative cells.