Lipid analysis of Methanopyrus kandleri

Abstract

Non-polar and polar lipids were isolated from Methano~yrus kandleri. Non-polar lipids accounted for 50% w/w of total lipids, with a high proportion of 2,3-di-0-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycerol, 2,3-di-0-phytanyl-sn-glycerol and geranylgeraniol. The core lipids prepared by mild acid methanolysis consisted exclusively of 2,3-di-0-phytanyl-sn-glycerol.Two-dimensional TLC showed mostly glycolipids, and minor amounts of aminophospholipids, phosphoglycolipids and phospholipids. The purification yielded three diglycosyl-lipids (50% of total polar lipids), one triglycosyl-lipid (5%) and six glycosyl-lipids with five glycosyl-groups (36%), which consisted of glucose, galactose and mannose. The lipid analysis supports the unique position of Methanopyrus kandleri within the 16s rRNA-based phylogenetic tree.

Phospholipid etherlipid and phospholipid fatty acid fingerprints in selected euryarchaeotal monocultures for taxonomic profiling

“…Moreover, in MPK, apart from archaeol derived phytane caldarchaeol derived C 40 , isoprenoids with 0, 1 and 2 cyclopentane rings were found. This, as well as the potential existence of hydroxarchaeaol derived side chains, is in contrast to the ¢ndings of Hafenbradl et al [17] who found only archaeol derived phytane in the polar lipid fraction of MPK. The di¡erent protocols used for total lipid extraction might serve as an explanation for the observed discrepancies.…”

“…The di¡erent protocols used for total lipid extraction might serve as an explanation for the observed discrepancies. Hafenbradl et al [17] as well as Morii et al [16] extracted lipids from MPK and MTF, respectively, with an acidi¢ed solvent according to Nishihara and Koga [18]. The two strains of Clostridia (CLA and CLB) showed a totally di¡erent PLEL pattern than the archaeal strains.…”

Recent Advances in Structural Research on Ether Lipids from Archaea Including Comparative and Physiological Aspects

“…30) Digeranylgeranylglycerol (unsaturated archaeol) was first discovered by Hafenbradl et al 31,32) in the nonpolar lipid fraction of Methanopyrus kandleri. They reported in the same paper, 32) however, that the core lipid prepared by HCl-methanolysis of polar lipids of the organism was composed only of saturated archaeol. But Sprott et al 33) have shown the presence of unsaturated archaeol-based phospholipids, the most abundant of which is unsaturated archaetidylcholine, in the same archaeon by MS of total lipids.…”

“…28) unsaturated archaetidylethanolamine, and archaetidylethanolamine, six archaeol-based glycolipids with one to six hexose units, and one tetraether type phosphoglycolipid, dihexosyl caldarchaetidylglycerol, have been identified, mainly by FAB-MS. 33) Total lipid of M. kandleri is rich in non-polar lipid (the polar lipid fraction represents only 50% of the total lipids), and more than 92% of the polar lipids are glycolipids. 32) Of the four kinds of glycolipid-sugar, mannose is predominant (86%). Such membrane lipid composition appears to be unique compared with that of other microorganisms.…”

Biomolecular stability and life at high temperatures

“…It is suggested, though not proven, that in such organisms the polar head groups contribute to membrane rigidity [114,115]. With the publication of lipid analyses of an increasingly diverse range of hyperthermophilic archaea, the diversity of lipids is rapidly increasing with, for example, the identification of fatty acids in the marine archaeon P. furiosus, unsaturated diether lipids in Methanopyrus kandleri [116], 36-membered macrocyclic diether lipids in Methanococcus jannaschii ( fig. 3g) [117] and tetraether lipids containing a covalent cross-link at the centre of the isoprenoid chains in Methanothermus fer6idus ( fig.…”