Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Signature Lipids And Stable Carbon Isotope Analyses Of Octopus Spring Hyperthermophilic Communities Compared With Those Of Aquificales Representatives, Linda L. Jahnke, Wolfgang Eder, Robert Huber, Janet M. Hope, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs, John M. Hayes, David J. Des Marais, Sherry L. Cady, Roger E. Summons

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The molecular and isotopic compositions of lipid biomarkers of cultured Aquificales genera have been used to study the community and trophic structure of the hyperthermophilic pink streamers and vent biofilm from Octopus Spring. Thermocrinis ruber, Thermocrinis sp. strain HI 11/12, Hydrogenobacter thermophilus TK-6, Aquifex pyrophilus, and Aquifex aeolicus all contained glycerol-ether phospholipids as well as acyl glycerides. The n-C20:1 and cy-C21 fatty acids dominated all of the Aquificales, while the alkyl glycerol ethers were mainly C18:0. These Aquificales biomarkers were major constituents of the lipid extracts of two Octopus Spring samples, a biofilm associated with the siliceous vent walls, and …