GC-MS analysis of diaminopimelic acid stereoisomers and amino acid enantiomers in rumen bacteria.

The amounts and the configuration of the stereoisomers of 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (Dap) and the enantiomeric content of other amino acids were determined in five individual species (Fibrobacter succinogenes, Streptococcus bovis, Selenomonas ruminantium, Prevotella ruminicola and Anaerovibrio lipolytica) of rumen bacteria, and in samples of mixed rumen bacteria isolated from sheep. The separation and quantification of the Dap stereoisomers was achieved by gas chromatography (GC) of trifluoroacetyl 2-propyl esters on a Chirasil-L-Val fused silica column, and detection was achieved by selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry (SIM-MS). No isomers of Dap were detected in S. bovis and P. ruminicola, two of the bacterial isolates. LL- and DD-Dap were not detected in any of the bacterial samples. As only the meso-isomer of Dap was detected in these microorganisms, it was quantified by adding LL-Dap as an internal standard before the bacteria were acid-hydrolyzed. Amounts of between 4.8 and 12.0 mg meso-Dap per gram of bacterial dry matter (DM) were determined. The presence in the rumen bacteria of free amino acid enantiomers, extractable with 70% aqueous ethanol, were determined by GC-SIM-MS; the D-amino acids were predominantly Ala, Asp and Glu, but there was considerable variation between the species.