Sterols and diacylglycerophosphocholines in the lipids of the hydrocarbon‐utilizing prokaryote Rhodococcus rhodochrous

Abstract

S orkhoh , N.A., G hannoum , M.A., I brahim , A.S., S tretton , R.J. & R adwan , S.S. 1990. Sterols and diacylglycerophosphocholines in the lipids of the hydrocarbon‐utilizing prokaryote Rhodococcus rhodochrous. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 69 , 856–863. Two strains of Rhodococcus rhodochrous were grown in an inorganic medium containing either glucose or dodecane as sole sources of carbon and their total lipids were extracted and analysed. Dodecane‐grown cells contained more total lipids than glucose‐grown cells. Lipid classes that increased in dodecane‐grown cells were sterols, monoacylglycerols, diacylglycerophosphocholines and an unknown glyco‐lipid. Sterols and diacylglycerophosphocholines were unequivocally identified in this species. The major acyl moieties in total lipids from glucose‐grown cells were palmitic and octadecanoic acids, in addition to small amounts of linoleic and linolenic acids and traces of tuberculostearic acid. The latter was confined to diacyl‐glycerophosphoglycerols and the unknown glycolipid. In addition to these acids, dodecane‐grown cells contained relatively large proportions of lauric and myristic acids in their total lipids, which were esterified mainly in diacylglycerophosphocholines and the unknown glycolipid.