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Comprehensive Analysis of Microbial Lipids in Environmental Samples Through HPLC-MS Protocols

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Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols

Part of the book series: Springer Protocols Handbooks ((SPH))

Abstract

Diversification and fine-tuning of membrane lipids has been a crucial step in allowing taxonomic diversification of microbial life, ecological expansion into new or changing habitats, and exploration of novel resources. This results in a strong association between lipid composition and taxonomy, environmental conditions, and some particular metabolic activities, an association that is the base of the lipid biomarker concept. Applied to environmental and geological samples, lipid biomarkers are able to provide a wealth of information: recalcitrant apolar lipids and relatively labile intact polar lipids can be informative on geological and biological timescales, respectively. We here provide an overview of the current state of lipid biomarker analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), with an emphasis on applications to complex environmental samples. Coupled to mass spectrometry through electrospray ionization, normal-phase or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography provides straightforward analysis of intact polar lipids (IPLs) according to their headgroups. Implementation of reversed-phase separation, on the other hand, offers to dramatically expand the analytical window of LC-MS amenable lipids and besides IPLs may, for example, target apolar glycerolipids, quinones, pigments, and bacteriohopanepolyols. An outlook to the potential of ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry to revolutionize several aspects of lipid biomarker analysis in the near future is also provided.

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Abbreviations

APCI:

Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

ASE:

Accelerated solvent extraction

BHP:

Bacteriohopanepolyol

DCM:

Dichloromethane

ESI:

Electrospray ionization

GDGT:

Glyceroldialkylglyceroltetraether

HILIC:

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

IPA:

Isopropanol

IPL:

Intact polar lipid

IS:

Internal standard

LC:

Liquid chromatography

LDI:

Long-chain diol index

MeCN:

Acetonitrile

MeOH:

Methanol

MRM:

Multiple reaction monitoring

MS:

Mass spectrometry

MS/MS:

Tandem mass spectrometry

NP:

Normal phase

RP:

Reversed phase

SST:

Sea surface temperature

TCA:

Trichloroacetic acid

TEX86 :

Tetraether index of lipids with 86 carbons

TLC:

Thin-layer chromatography

UHPLC:

Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography

U K’ 37 :

Alkenone unsaturation index

v:

Volume

wt%:

% Weight

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Organic Geochemistry Group, MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Lars Wörmer, Julius S. Lipp & Kai-Uwe Hinrichs

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  2. Julius S. Lipp
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  3. Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lars Wörmer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, United Kingdom

    Terry J. McGenity

  2. Institute of Microbiology, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

    Kenneth N. Timmis

  3. Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands and Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, UIB-CSIC), Palma de Mallorca, Spain

    Balbina Nogales

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Wörmer, L., Lipp, J.S., Hinrichs, KU. (2015). Comprehensive Analysis of Microbial Lipids in Environmental Samples Through HPLC-MS Protocols. In: McGenity, T., Timmis, K., Nogales, B. (eds) Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols. Springer Protocols Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/8623_2015_183

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/8623_2015_183

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-52791-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-52793-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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