Polar Lipids in Methanogen Taxonomy

Summary: Polar lipid patterns of representative methanogens were recorded by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography. Phenotypically similar Methanobacterium spp., Methanobrevibacter spp. and Methanomicrobium spp. could readily be distinguished from each other. Similarly, Methanogenium spp. and phenotypically similar Methanococcus spp. had different polar lipid patterns. Single examples from the monospecific genera Methanospirillum, Methanoplanus and Methanothermus had distinctive polar lipid patterns, but Methanolobus tindarius had a similar pattern to Methanosarcina spp. The isopranoid ether lipid cores from the polar lipids were identical for those species within any one genus. Novel core lipids were identified in examples from the genera Methanomicrobium, Methanosarcina and Methanolobus.