title: Biodegradation of phytane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylhexadecane) and accumulation of related isoprenoid wax esters by Mycobacterium ratisbonense strain SD4 under nitrogen-starved conditions.
abstract: The accumulation of storage lipids during the biodegradation of 2,6,10,14-tetramethylhexadecane (phytane) by Mycobacterium ratisbonense strain SD4 grown under nitrogen-starved conditions was investigated. Detailed chemical analysis of intracellular metabolites revealed the existence of (at least) three different pathways for the catabolism of phytane, and the accumulation of significant proportions (39% of the total lipids) of several isoprenoid wax esters formed by condensation of oxidation products of the hydrocarbon. In contrast, triacylglycerols but no wax esters were accumulated by strain SD4 grown on hexadecane, the unbranched homologue of phytane.
authors.affiliation: Centro Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Científico--Tecnológico (CRIDECIT), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Chubut, Argentina.
authors.forename: Roxana A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: Héctor M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Alvarez
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001711:Biotransformation; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis*; D014885:Waxes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D013729:Terpenes; D014885:Waxes; C008906:phytane; D009584:Nitrogen