Growth and cellular fatty-acid composition of a sulphate-reducing bacterium, Desulfatibacillum aliphaticivorans strain CV2803T, grown on n-alkenes.

The anaerobic degradation of n-alkenes by a sulphate-reducing bacterium Desulfatibacillum aliphaticivorans strain CV2803T was investigated. Results suggest that enzymes required for alkene degradation are inducible. Moreover, total cellular fatty acids of strain CV2803T were predominantly C-odd when the strain was grown on C-odd substrates and C-even when grown on C-even substrates. In addition to classical bacterial fatty acids, unusual 4-Me-17:1delta11 and 4-Me-18:1delta11 fatty acids and their saturated homologues were detected when strain CV2803T was grown on 1-pentadecene and 1-hexadecene, respectively. These methyl-branched monounsaturated fatty acids could constitute specific metabolites of n-alkene degradation by sulphate-reducing bacteria.