Gas chromatography analysis of cellular fatty acids and neutral monosaccharides in the identification of lactobacilli.
Cellular fatty acids and monosaccharides in a group of 14 lactobacilli were analyzed by gas chromatography and the identity of the components was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. From the same bacterial sample, both monosaccharides and fatty acids were liberated by methanolysis, and in certain experiments, fatty acids alone were released by basic hydrolysis. The results indicate that basic hydrolysis gave more comprehensive information about the fatty acids, but the analysis of monosaccharides was found to be much more useful in distinguishing between different species of lactobacilli. The method described allowed differentiation of 11 of 14 Lactobacillus species, and even single colonies isolated from agar plates could be used for analysis without subculturing.
Department of Chemistry, National Veterinary Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
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Rizzo
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Korkeala
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Mononen
D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003470:Culture Media; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification; D008838:Microcomputers; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D012984:Software
D003470:Culture Media; D005227:Fatty Acids; D009005:Monosaccharides