Analysis of corynomycolic acids and other fatty acids produced by Corynebacterium lepus grown on kerosene

Abstract

The saponifiable carboxylic acids of the extracellular product of C. lepus grown on kerosene were isolated and characterized. About 25% of these acids were a mixture of simple, saturated fatty acids ranging from C13-C24, including both even and odd homologs. The distribution of these acids was bimodal, with maxima at C15 and C21. The other 75% of the acids was a mixture of corynomycolic acids [R1-CH(OH)-CH(R2)-COOH] ranging from C28-C43. The R1 alkyl fragments varied from C16-C25 and R2 fragments varied from C6-C14. Both even and odd corynomycolic acid homologs were observed and the distribution had a single pronounced maximum at C32 and C33. Bacterial utilization of the carboxylic oxidation products of the kerosene substrate may account for the wide distribution in chain length of these saturated fatty acids and for the observation of both even and odd homologs.