Free Mycolic Acids as Criteria in the Classification of Nocardia and the 'rhodochrous' Complex

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Abstract
The methyl esters of free mycolic acids from representative strains of N. asteroides, N. brasiliensis, N. caviae and the rhodochrous complex were subjected to detailed mass spectral analysis. The anhydromycolic esters of the Nocardia strains consisted of homologous series containing from 0-3 double bonds, with the main components of the parent mycolic acids centered on C52-C54 (range C46-C58). The anhydromycolates from 1 rhodochrous strain, N. opaca, had a molecular weight range similar to the nocardiae (C46-C57) but the remaining rhodochrous strains gave an homologous series of anhydromycolates containing from 0-2 double bonds, with the main components of the parent mycolic acids centered on C38, C42, C44 or C46 (total range from C34-C50). The mycolic acids from the rhodochrous strains with chain lengths centered around C40 form a group intermediate in size between corynomycolic acids (centered around C32) and nocardomycolic acids (centered around C50). These data weaken the case for retaining the rhodochrous complex in the genus Mycobacterium, and also show that many rhodochrous strains can be distinguished from true nocardiae and corynebacteria. These results confirm the value of lipid characters in the classification of these organisms.

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