Isolation and characterization of an ornithine-containing lipid from Paracoccus denitrificans.

The isolation and characterization of an ornithine-containing lipid from various strains of Paracoccus denitrificans (grown heteretrophically and autotrophically) is reported. The structure of this aminolipid was found to be H2N--CH2--(CH2)2--CH[NH--CO--CH2--CH(O--CO--R1)--R2]--CO2H, where R1 predominantly represents the residue of octadec-11-enoic acid, R2 the residue of a 3-hydroxyeicos-13-enoic acid. In addition, the major phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol) were isolated and characterized.