title: Analysis of lipophilic pigments from a phototrophic microbial mat community by high performance liquid chromatography.
abstract: As assay for lipophilic pigments in phototrophic microbial mat communities using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography was developed which allows the separation of 15 carotenoids and chloropigments in a single 30 min program.  Lipophilic pigments in a laminated mat from a commercial salina near Laguna Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico reflected their source organisms.  Myxoxanthophyll, echinenone, canthaxanthin, and zeaxanthin were derived from cyanobacteria; chlorophyll c, and fucoxanthin from diatoms; chlorophyll a from cyanobacteria and diatoms; bacteriochlorophylls a and c, bacteriophaeophytin a, and gamma-carotene from Chloroflexus spp.; and beta-carotene from a variety of phototrophs.  Sensitivity of detection was 0.6-6.1 ng for carotenoids and 1.7-12 ng for most chloropigments.  This assay represents a significant improvement over previous analyses of lipophilic pigments in microbial mats and promises to have a wider application to other types of phototrophic communities.
authors.affiliation: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Des Marais
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry*; D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls / Q000032:analysis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D019414:Chlorobi / Q000737:chemistry*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry*; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D008800:Mexico; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids