Evidence for Enzymatic Backbone Methylation of the Main Membrane Lipids in the Archaeon Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis
Sarah Coffinet, Lukas Mühlena, Julius S. Lipp, Micha Weil, Cajetan Neubauer, Tim Urich, Kai‐Uwe Hinrichs
Abstract
-adenosyl methionine (SAM) intermediate. We observed a relative increase of the doubly methylated compound, pentanetriol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether, in the stationary phase of M. luminyensis as well as in the subseafloor of the Mediterranean Sea and thus introduced a backbone methylation index, which could be used to further explore microbial activity in natural settings.
Topics & Concepts
GlycerolMethylationMembrane lipidsMethionineBiochemistryBiologyAnoxic watersBiosynthesisMethyl groupChemistryMembraneEnzymeOrganic chemistryDNAAlkylAmino acidEcologyMass Spectrometry Techniques and ApplicationsMolecular Sensors and Ion DetectionMicrobial bioremediation and biosurfactants