Research letterSeparation and analysis of free ceramides containing 2-hydroxy fatty acids in Sphingobacterium species

The occurrence of free ceramides was shown in the chloroform-methanol extractable lipids of 16 strains of Sphingobacterium including three species: S. versatilis, S. multivorum and S. mizutae. The predominant long-chain base was identified as a branched-chain, saturated dihydroxy base with a carbon chain consisting of 17 carbon atoms, while the most abundant fatty acid was 2-hydroxy-13-methyltetradecanoic acid. The major molecular species of the intact ceramides were identified as LCB-d-iso-17 : 0-2-OHiso-15 : 0FA, LCB-d-iso-17 : 0-iso-15 : 0FA and LCB-d-n16 : 0-iso-15 : 0FA.