Fatty and Mycolic Acid Composition of Bacterionema matruchotii and Related Organisms

Abstract
Whole-organism methanolysates of bacterionemae contained mycolic acids in addition to other long-chain fatty acids. These mycolic acids were similar in general structure and overall size to those found in strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and C. xerosis. The long-chain fatty acids of bacterionemae, mainly straight-chain saturated and unsaturated acids, were similar to those of certain coryneform bacteria including C. diphtheriae. On the basis of these lipid data, and results of earlier studies, it was recommended that the genus Bacterionema be transferred from the family Actinomycetaceae to the Coryneform Group of Bacteria.