Abstract
Microorganisms capable of utilizing pristane (2, 6, 10, 14-tetramethylpentadecane) as a sole source of carbon and energy were isolated from soil specimens. A strain BPM 1613, tentatively classified in the genus Nocardia, accumulated several oxidation products of pristane in the culture fluid. Silica gel chromatography of the ethyl ether extract from the culture fluid yielded pristanol and pristanic acid as major products and pristyl pristanate and pristyl aldehyde as minor products. The confirmations on the estimated structures of these oxidation products are described in detail.
