Fatty Acids and Lipids

What is it about?

Cellular fatty acid composition can be a useful forensic signature for the production conditions of microbial pathogens. This chapter covers the types of fatty acid biomarkers in Bacillus organisms, factors affecting their relative abundance within the cell, and analytical strategies for generating fatty acid profiles within forensic samples.

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Why is it important?

Cellular phenotypes can offer important clues as to the growth conditions of illicitly-cultured bacteria. They also may provide an independent data set that can support conclusions made from genetic analyses of the same organism. This work provides a foundation for understanding how fatty acid composition may be used during a biocrime investigation where bacteria have been recovered as evidence.