Fatty Acid Composition of Some Mycolic Acid-containing Coryneform Bacteria

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Abstract
The fatty acid profiles of 74 strains of mycolic acid-containing coryneform bacteria were examined by GLC. All of the strains contained major amounts of straight-chain and monounsaturated fatty acids although some also possessed substantial amounts of 10-methyloctadecanoic acid. Iso- and anteiso-branched acids were not present. Five distinct fatty acid patterns were evident. Corynebacterium diphtheriae, C. pseudotuberculosis C. ulcerans strains contained major amounts of hexadecanoic and hexadecenoic acids: C. glutamicum, C. xerosis and related saprophytic and animal-associated strains contained predominantly hexadecanoic and octadecenoic acids. C. bovis contained major amounts of octadecenoic and 10-methyloctadecanoic acids. C. mycetoides contained significant amounts of heptadecanoic acid as well as hexadecanoic and octadecenoic acids. Strains related to Rhodococcus possessed significant quantities of 10-methyloctadecanoic acid in addition to stright-chain and monounsaturated acids. [Lipid markers are being increasingly used in the classification and identification of coryneform and related taxa.].