Quantification of Bacterial Fatty Acids by Extraction and Methylation

Abstract

This protocol describes two similar methods for the extraction and methylation of fatty acids from bacterial cultures. The acid derivatization protocol (Lennen et al., 2013; Bligh and Dyer, 1959) results in the extraction and methylation of all fatty acids, both free and bound, from a bacterial culture, while the base derivatization protocol (Lennen and Pfleger, 2013) captures only bound (phospholipid, acyl-thioester) species. After extraction into hexane, the lipids may be analyzed by gas chromatography.