Alkylresorcinols are abundant lipid components in different strains of Azotobacter chroococcum and Pseudomonas spp.

The occurrence of various amounts of 5-n-alkylresorcinols was shown in lipids extracted from 14 bacterial strains of Azotobacter chroococcum as well as from strains of Pseudomonas aureofaciens, P. chlororapsis, and P. fluorescens. The amount of alkylresorcinols found varied from 2.3 to 56.2 microg/mg (dry weight) of cells in A. chroococum and from 0.2 to 0.8 microg/mg (dry weight) of cells in Pseudomonas spp. Strains of both genera produce saturated homologs with C13 to C27 side chains. C19, C21, and C23 homologs are predominant in and characteristic for A. chroococum strains, the C15 homolog is predominant in and characteristic for P. chlororapsis and P. fluorescens, and the C17 homolog is predominant in and characteristic for P. aureofaciens. The presence of 5-n-(2-ketoalkyl)resorcinols, not previously observed, was demonstrated in lipids isolated from the cells of A. chroococum Az5.