title: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization--time of flight mass spectrometry of lipopeptide biosurfactants in whole cells and culture filtrates of Bacillus subtilis C-1 isolated from petroleum sludge.
abstract: An innovative method was developed for rapid sensitive detection and efficient structural characterization of lipopeptide biosurfactants by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry by using whole microbial cells and crude culture filtrates as targets in combination with surface tension measurements. This was done for a bacterial strain that was isolated from petroleum sludge and efficiently produces biosurfactants. This organism was identified by using biochemical, physiological, and genetic parameters as a Bacillus subtilis strain, designated B. subtilis C-1. This assignment was supported by a mass spectrometric investigation of the secondary metabolite spectrum determined by whole-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, which revealed three lipopeptide complexes, the surfactins, the iturins, and the fengycins, which are well-known biosurfactants produced by B. subtilis strains. These compounds were structurally characterized by in situ structure analysis by using postsource decay MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The isoforms were separated by miniaturized high-resolution reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography for mass spectrometric characterization. Iturin compounds which contain unusual fatty acid components were detected.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Chemie, Arbeitsgruppe Biochemie und Molekulare Biologie, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. Vater@chem.tu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vater
authors.forename: Bärbel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kablitz
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilde
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Swaranjit Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cameotra
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005285:Fermentation; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D010578:Petroleum; D012722:Sewage; D013501:Surface-Active Agents