Studies on the bacteria isolated anaerobically from paddy field soil IV. Model experiments on the production of branched-chain fatty acids

Abstract

Abstract Based on the fact that the clostridia isolated from paddy field soil were mostlyproteolytic and that they produced some branched-chain volatile fatty acids on peptone media, the occurrence and the substrates for the production of such acids in paddy soil were investigated. The results obtained are as follows: 1) It was revealed that two branched-chain volatile fatty acids, iso-valeric and iso-butyric acids, were detected In fresh paddy field soil. 2) The paddy soil supplemented with peptone solution produced significant amounts of branched-chain volatile fatty acids-iso-butyric and iso-valeric acidsin addition to straight-chain volatile fatty acids-acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. When glucose was added instead of peptone, not branched-chain fatty and propionic acids were detected but only acetic and butyric acids. These facts indicate that the branched-chain fatty acids may originate from amino acids. 3) When a pair of amino acids, such as proline and leucine or proline-and valine, were sup...