Effect of substrate on fatty acid production in Nocardia asteroides

Abstract

Cellular fatty acids of the six Nocardia asteroides strains grown on glucose, glucose and amino acids, glycerol, and Dubos oleic albumin complex were determined by gas–liquid chromatography. Cells grown on each medium contained saturated, unsaturated, and branched-chain fatty acids. The fatty acids consisted of normal saturated C13, C14, C15, C16, C17, and C18; monoenoic C16 and C18; branched-chain C14, C15, and 10-methyl C18. Composition of the media affected cellular fatty acid content of N. asteroides strains qualitatively and quantitatively. Five of the six strains closely resembled each other, but one strain appeared to be different. The fatty acid pattern of Nocardia may be a useful criterion in differentiation of this genus from the closely related Mycobacterium and Streptomyces, which have a different fatty acid composition.