Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/38470

KEYWORDS : 32, 35-Anhydrobacteriohopanetetrol;Bacteriohopanetetrol;Sedimentary hopanoids;Nankai Trough;Gulf of Mexico

32,35-Anhydrobacteriohopanetetrol (anhydroBHT) is the most abundant hopanol in sediments from ODP Leg 190, Nankai Trough and IODP Exp. 308, Gulf of Mexico. Dehydration and cyclization of polyfunctionalized hopanol side chain have been proposed as the major process for the formation of anhydroBHT. The concentrations of anhydroBHT in these sediments are considerably higher than bacteriohopanetetrol which is common and abundant hopanol in many of eubacteria. AnhydroBHT is the diagenetic product rather than the intact constituent of living cell. Higher concentration of anhydroBHT in the sediments corresponds well to a terrestrial contribution, suggesting its genetic relationship with the contribution of terrestrial organic matter.