Biosynthetic incorporation of fluorescently labelled fatty acids in Escherichia coli
Tsukerman, A.I.; Dobretsov, G.E.; Golovinova, V.B.; Dombrovskiĭ, A.M.
Mikrobiologiia 51(4): 557-559
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-3656 PMID: 6755195 Document Number: 191683
Escherichia coli cells were cultivated in a medium containing 1-pyrene butanoic acid, a fluorescent probe. Total lipids were extracted from the cells, and the extract was separated by thin-layer chromatography. The fluorescent fractions were examined using spectrofluorimetry. The starting 1-pyrene butanoic acid was shown to be biosynthetically incorporated into the bacterial lipid. Four fluorescent fractions appeared as a result; the fractions were derivatives of this compound modified in the chromophore and the fatty acid chain. The results indicate that the formation of 1-pyrene butanoic acid fluorescent metabolites can be used for studying the oxidation-reduction systems of the bacterium.