| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1251809 | Chemistry and Physics of Lipids | 2012 | 8 Pages |
Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry of membrane lipid cores from Sulfolobus species reveals isomeric forms of ring-containing isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether components not previously recognised via the use of NMR and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry techniques. Equivalent isomerism was confirmed for the components in other hyperthermophilic genera and in sediments which contain the lipids of mesophilic archaea. The recognition of the isomeric structures in distinct archaeal clades suggests that profiles of tetraether lipids reported previously may have oversimplified the true lipid complexity in archaeal cultures and natural environments. Accordingly, the extent of variation in tetraether structures revealed by the work should direct more informative interpretations of lipid profiles in the future. Moreover, the results emphasise that tandem mass spectrometry provides a unique capability for assigning the structures of intact tetraether lipid cores for co-eluting species during chromatographic separation.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Isomerism of GDGT lipids with respect to the distribution of cyclopentyl rings between isoprenoid chains in Sulfolobus. ► Isobaric GDGT structures with differing polarities also identified. ► Putative stereoisomers of isoprenoid chains containing two and three cyclopentyl rings released by ether-cleavage of tetraether lipids. ► Isomerism in lipids extends to other hyperthermophilic archaea and to mesophilic archaea living in moderate temperature environments.
