Squalane Lab Report

DISCUSSION Although these experiments support that squalane has growth-enhancing effects upon R. sphaeroides, it does not show a different effect depending on temperature conditions as was originally predicted. This may be because the bacteria are unable to convert squalane into squalene for use in the hopanoid biosynthesis pathway. Another possibility is that the bacteria are using other materials than squalane as a preferred substrate in this pathway, as they would require less energy to convert into the necessary compounds. Despite the lack of temperature-dependent effects, the consistent significant increase in growth in samples treated with squalane indicates that this compound provides some benefit to the bacteria. In testing if squalane is being used as a
It was originally predicted that in minimal media, the bacteria would have greater enhancement of growth with squalane than those in nutrient broth, as the squalane compensates for the otherwise scarce energy and carbon availability. This was not evident in the experiment, as there was no difference in enhancement of growth between media. Despite this, there was still a significant increase in growth in samples supplemented with squalane within media groups. This further supports the general growth-enhancing effects of the substance, but does not conclusively demonstrate its mechanism. Unfortunately, the third experiment in which acrylic acid was used to inhibit the β-oxidation pathway did not clarify the origin of this effect. The absence of difference between growth of samples with acrylic acid, with and without squalane is ambiguous in its interpretation. This may mean that the