title: Bacteria produce the volatile hydrocarbon isoprene.
abstract: Various bacterial species, both Gram-negative and Gram-positive, were found to produce the volatile hydrocarbon isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene). Out of the tested cultures, Bacillus produced the most isoprene. The production of isoprene from bacteria was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Media and growth effects on isoprene production were investigated: growth in rich media led to higher levels of isoprene than growth in minimal media, and highest isoprene emission rates were seen in log-phase cultures. Temperature profiles for bacterial isoprene production showed an optimum of 45 degrees C and were suggestive of an enzymatic mechanism for isoprene formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309-0215.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuzma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nemecek-Marshall
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fall
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002070:Butadienes / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D010420:Pentanes; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D003470:Culture Media; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D010420:Pentanes; C005059:isoprene