Novel findings on hopanoid occurrences among sulfate reducing bacteria: Is there a direct link to nitrogen fixation?

► Desulfovibrio salexigens and D. zosterae contain high amounts of bacteriohopanepolyols. ► Genetic survey suggests wide distribution of hopanoids in sulfate reducing bacteria. ► Co-occurrence of N fixation and hopanoid production in D. bastinii. ► Direct role of hopanoids in the N fixation machinery of D. bastinii unlikely.