Abstract.
A compost mixture amended with soybean oil was enriched in microorganisms that transformed unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). When oleic acid or 10-ketostearic acid was the selective fatty acid, Sphingobacterium thalpophilum (NRRL B-23206, NRRL B-23208, NRRL B-23209, NRRL B-23210, NRRL B-23211, NRRL B-23212), Acinetobacter spp. (NRRL B-23207, NRRL B-23213), and Enterobacter cloacae (NRRL B-23264, NRRL B-23265, NRRL B-23266) represented isolates that produced either hydroxystearic acid, ketostearic acid, or incomplete decarboxylations. When ricinoleic (12-hydroxy-9-octadecenoic) acid was the selective UFA, Enterobacter cloacae (NRRL B-23257, NRRL B-23267) and Escherichia sp. (NRRL B-23259) produced 12-C and 14-C homologous compounds, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NRRL B-23256, NRRL B-23260) converted ricinoleate to a trihydroxyoctadecenoate product. Also, various Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, and Serratia spp. appeared to decarboxylate linoleate substrate incompletely. These saprophytic, compost bacteria were aerobic or facultative anaerobic Gram-negative and decomposed UFAs through decarboxylation, hydroxylation, and hydroperoxidation mechanisms.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 3 November 1998 / Accepted: 30 November 1998
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaneshiro, T., Kuo, T. & Nakamura, L. Conversion of Unsaturated Fatty Acids by Bacteria Isolated from Compost. Curr Microbiol 38, 250–255 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00006796
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00006796