Occurrence of squalene, di- and tetrahydrosqualenes, and vitamin MK8 in an extremely halophilic bacterium, Halobacterium cutirubrun.
The nonpolar (acetone-soluble) lipids of the extremely halophilic bacterium, Halobacterium cutirubrum, were found to consist of red carotenoid pigments (43%) and squalenes (48%) with a small amount of a vitamin K-type quinone. The squalenes were shown by n.m.r. and mass spectra to consist of the fully isoprenoid squalene (S; C(30)H(50)), dihydrosqualene (S(2); C(30)H(52)), and tetrahydrosqualene (S(4); C(30)H(54)) in the ratio of 1.0:0.4:0.1. S(2) probably has one reduced internal isoprenoid group, and S(4) has one internal and one terminal reduced isoprenyl group. The vitamin K-type quinone was shown by n.m.r. and mass spectra to have a C(40) isoprenoid side chain, and is thus identified as menaquinone-8 (MK-8).
D000475:Alkenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D002845:Chromatography; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006217:Halobacterium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013185:Squalene / Q000032:analysis*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000032:analysis*
D000475:Alkenes; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D008055:Lipids; D014812:Vitamin K; D002338:Carotenoids; D013185:Squalene