Differentiation of Bordetella pertussis, B. parapertussis, and B. bronchiseptica by Whole-Cell Protein Electrophoresis and Fatty Acid Analysis

One-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell proteins and gas-liquid chromatography of cellular fatty acids were used to determine chemotaxonomic characteristics of strains belonging to Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Species-specific protein patterns and fatty acid profiles were found. Only B. bronchiseptica strains contained 12:0 2OH, 18:1 to7c, and 19:0 cyclo, and the presence of 10:0 3OH was a unique feature of B. pertussis and B. parapertussis strains. The latter two species were differentiated by the absence of 17:0 cyclo in B. pertussis strains. These chemotaxonomic data and the multiple differences in the classical phenotypes of these three species do not correlate with the high DNA homology values. Our findings support the present status of the three taxa as different species and emphasize the importance of a polyphasic approach in bacterial classification.