ISSN:
1432-072X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Summary 1. The carotenoids of Myxococcus fulvus strain Mx f2 were analyzed. The carotenoid content of cultures growing logarithmically in the dark was found to be about 0.003% of the dry weight of acetone extracted cells. This value rose to 0.03% in logarithmically growing cultures in light, and to 0.06% in illuminated late log-phase cultures grown in a fermenter. 2. The organism synthesizes about 50 to 60 different carotenoids, 24 of which could be isolated in sufficient quantities to be identified. 3. The identified pigments were: phytoene (1), phytofluene (2), ζ-carotene (3), neurosporene (4), γ-carotene (5), lycopene (6), torulene (7), 3,4-dehydro-lycopene (8) — 4-keto-γ-carotene (9), 4-keto-torulene (10) — 1′,2′-dihydro-1′-hydroxy-γ-carotene (11), 1,2-dihydro-1-OH-lycopene (12), 1′,2′-dihydro-1′-OH-torulene (13), 3-(or 4-)-OH-torulene (14), 1,2-dihydro-3,4-dehydro-1-OH-lycopene (15) — 4,4′-diketo-γ-carotene (16), 4,4′-diketo-lycopene (17), 1′,2′-dihydro-4,2′-diketo-torulene (18) — 1′,2′-dihydro-1′-OH-4-keto-γ-carotene (19) — a 2′-fatty acid ester of 1′,2′-dihydro-1′,2′-dihydroxy-4-keto-torulene (22) — and the fatty acid esters of the two glucosides myxobacton (23), and myxobactin (24). The hydroxyl groups of two pigments could not be located: 1′,2′-dihydro-trihydroxy-4-keto-torulene (21), and a tetrahydroxy carotenoid with a spheroidene-like chromophore and a nonconjugated ring (20). 4. 2′-Acyl-1′,2′-dihydro-1′,2′-dihydroxy-4-keto-torulene (22) appears to be the first true carotenoid fatty acid ester found in a bacterium. The fatty acid part of the ester was variable and consisted mainly of C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, and tentatively identified C21:0. 5. Most of the carotenoids of M. fulvus occur only in trace amounts. The bulk of the pigments is composed of 3 compounds: the two acyl glucosides and 4-ketotorulene.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00408532
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