Diagenetic degradation products of bacteriohopanepolyols produced by Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain TIE-1

Hopanoids are pentacyclic triterpenoids commonly found in soils and sediments and are used as biomarkers for recent or past bacterial communities. While hopanes are the ultimate degradation products of bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs), only a few BHPs, such as 32,35-anhydrobacteriohopanetetrol (anhydroBHT), have been identified as early diagenetic degradation products. Here, we report on diagenetic degradation products of BHPs produced by Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain TIE-1 after exposure to elevated pressure and temperature. While bacteriohopanetetrol (BHT) was degraded to various anhydroBHT isomers, new N-containing degradation products were discovered and tentatively assigned as anhydroaminotriols.