C15, C20, and C25 isoprenoid homologues in glycerol diether phospholipids of methanogenic archaebacteria.

The glycerol diether phospholipids of 25 monocultures of methanogenic bacteria were isolated and degraded with hydriodic acid. The resulting alkyl iodides were converted to acetate esters and alcohols which were examined using capillary gas-liquid chromatography. The presence of C20 phytanol was observed in accordance with previous studies. Soft fragmentation by chemical ionization mass spectrometry combined with selected ion monitoring enabled the detection, for the first time, of C15 and C25 isoprenologues as components of the diether phospholipids in several strains.