Polar Lipid Composition in the Classification of Nocardia and Related Bacteria

Strains representing the mycolic acid-containing taxa Nocardia, Mycobacterium, Gordona, Corynebacterium, Bacterionema, and the “rhodochrous” complex were analysed for polar lipids by two-dimensional, thin-layer chromatography; diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol were found in all strains and phosphatidylethanolamine was absent only in extracts of Corynebacterium and Bacterionema. Mono- and diacyl phosphatidylinositol dimannosides were present in all Nocardia, Mycobacterium, Corynebacterium, and rhodochrous strains and in the single strain of Gordona aurantiaca examined; Bacterionema and strains of the other Gordona species had only a monoacyl phosphatidylinositol dimannoside. Phosphatidylglycerol was present in substantial amounts in extracts of two strains of Bacterionema matruchotii and in reduced proportions in strains of several other species. Unidentified glycolipids were detected in the lipids of a majority of the organisms investigated.