New pathway for long-chain n-alkane synthesis via 1-alcohol in Vibrio furnissii M1.
Alkane biosynthesis in the bacterium Vibrio furnissii M1 involves the synthesis of long-chain alkanes via 1-alcohol. Evidence for this novel pathway are the following. (i) Both even- and odd-carbon-number n-alkanes were produced from glucose, while only even-carbon-number fatty acids were produced in V. furnissii M1. This result cannot be explained by the decarbonylation pathway. (ii) Pentadecane and hexadecane were produced from 1-hexadecanoic acid by membrane fractions of V. furnissii M1, and radioisotope precursor-tracer experiments, in which 1-[1-(14)C]hexadecanoic acid was fed, identified the corresponding alcohol, aldehyde, and alkane derivatives. Since all metabolites maintained the radioisotope label at 1-C, they were produced by a pathway in which the carbon structure was retained, i.e., a reduction pathway. (iii) n-Hexadecane was produced when 1-hexadecanol was fed to membrane preparations.
Park
Myong-Ok
MO
Marine Biotechnology Institute, 3-75-1 Heita, Kamaishi, Iwate 026-0041, Japan. park.myong-ok@mbio.jp
D000438:Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism*; D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014733:Vibrio / Q000378:metabolism*
D000438:Alcohols; D000473:Alkanes; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; C033245:pentadecane; D019308:Palmitic Acid; C005031:cetyl alcohol; C007932:n-hexadecane; D005947:Glucose