OBJECTIVE : To methylate fatty acids in whole cells or lipopolysaccharide.
 

REAGENTS :

Methanol-Hydrochloride Reagent Kit
10mg of whole cells or 1 mg of lipopolysaccharide
400 nmoles of fatty acid standard (pentadecanoic acids C15)
 

METHODS :

1. Prepare 1M MeOH-HCl reagent according to the instruction given with the kit.
2. Add internal standard (C15 fatty acid) to give a final concentration of 400 nmoles/100ml (usually 10mg of C15 in 100ml of reagent.
3. Weigh 10mg of whole cells or 1 mg of LPS into a clean screw-cap tube.
4. Add 1ml of MeOH-HCl reagent/internal standard into each tube and vortex.
5. Heat at 100^oC for 20 minutes. (Note: each tube should be very well sealed with teflon tape and grease to prevent evaporation.)
6. Sonicate and heat at 100^oC overnight.
7. Neutralize acidity with 0.5N NaOH. Test pH with pH paper.
8. Centrifuge in clinical centrifuge for 5 minutes. Save supernatent in clean glass vial.
9. Do gas chomatography with programmed REWH method.