title: [n-Alkane oxidation by propionic acid bacteria].
abstract: Propionic acid bacteria were found for the first time to be capable of oxidizing n-alkanes. The value of QO2 is higher on a mixture of n-alkanes (C12--C20) than on individual hydrocarbons whose availability is determined by the length of a hydrocarbon chain: C15 and C16-alkanes are oxidized best of all; C14, C13 and C12-alkanes are oxidized at a lower rate; and alkanes whose chain comprises less than ten carbon atoms are not oxidized at all. Hexadecane is oxidized to CO2, cetyl alcohol and palmitic acid being intermediates; this suggests the existence of the monoterminal pathway for oxidation of n-alkanes in propionic acid bacteria.
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011424:Propionibacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D003470:Culture Media; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002701:Chloramphenicol
vernacular_title: Okislenie n-alkanov propionovokislymi bakteriiami.