Identification of the Amide-Linked Fatty Acids of Acholeplasma axanthum S743 as d (–)3-Hydroxyhexadecanoate and Its Homologues

Abstract

The amide-linked fatty acids of the sphingolipids of Acholeplasma axanthum S743 are predominantly hydroxy acids. These acids were shown by gas-liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and polarimetry to be the d (–)3-hydroxy fatty acids. The predominant component of the mixture was 3-hydroxyhexadecanoate (β-hydroxypalmitate, hydroxy [h] 16:0) followed by h 20Δ (Δ = unsaturated), h14:0, h12:0, and h18Δ in decreasing order of concentration. The fatty acid profile indicates that these β-hydroxy acids possibly arise from elongation of the fatty acids supplied in the growth medium.