BECKER, B. (Rutgers, The State University, New Brunswick, N.J.), M. P. LECHEVALIER, AND H. A. LECHEVALIER. Chemical composition of cell-wall preparations from strains of various form-genera of aerobic actinomycetes. Appl. Microbiol. 13:236-243. 1965.-Cell-wall preparations were made from more than 140 strains of aerobic actinomycetes representing most of the form-genera that have been proposed. All cell-wall preparations contained as major constituents glucosamine, muramic acid, alanine, and glutamic acid. In addition, cell-wall preparations from various types of streptomycetes and strains of Microellobosporia contained glycine and LL-a, e-diaminopimelic acid; those from strains of most Actinoplanaceae and micromonosporae contained glycine and meso-a-e-diaminopimelic acid; those from strains of Thermoactinomyces, Microbispora, Dermatophilus, and nocardiae of the madurae-pelletieri group contained meso-a, e-diaminopimelic acid; and those from strains of Thermomonospora, Micropolyspora, and most nocardiae contained meso-a,ce-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose, and galactose. All the strains used were also studied morphologically.

Rapid differentiation between Nocardia and Streptomyces by paper chromatograp)hy of whole-cell hydrolysates. Appl. Microbiol. 12:421-423. 1964.-Whole-cell hydrolysates were prepared from 58 strains of nocardiae and streptomycetes. Strains morphologically intermediate between the two genera and morphological variants of the same strains were included. Paper chromatograms made from the whole-cell hydrolysates clearly demonstrated mesodiaminopimelic acid as a major constituent of cultures of Nocardia spp., and LL-diaminopimelic acid as a major constituent of cultures of Streptomyces spp. In cultures of ten strains of N. madurae and of three of N. pelletieri, meso-diaminopimelic acid

Cell-wall preparations were made from more than 140 strains of aerobic actinomycetes representing most of the form-genera that have been proposed. All cell-wall preparations contained as major constituents glucosamine, muramic acid, alanine, and glutamic acid. In addition, cell-wall preparations from various types of streptomycetes and strains of Microëllobosporia contained glycine and ll -α,ε-diaminopimelic acid; those from strains of most Actinoplanaceae and micromonosporae contained glycine and meso-α-ε-diaminopimelic acid; those from strains of Thermoactinomyces, Microbispora, Dermatophilus , and nocardiae of the madurae-pelletieri group contained meso-α,ε-diaminopimelic acid; and those from strains of Thermomonospora, Micropolyspora , and most nocardiae contained meso-α,ε-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose, and galactose. All the strains used were also studied morphologically.

New Brunswick, New J e r s e y ABSTRACT. A n a l y s e s of c e l l -w a l l p r e p a r a t i o n s f r o m m o r e t h a n 2 3 0 a e r o b i c a c t i n o m y c e t e s r e p r e s e n t i n g m o s t o f t h e m o r p h o l o g i c a l t y p e s a m o n g t h o s e f o r m i n g w e l l d e v e l o p e d m y c e l i a ( e u a c t i n o m y c e t e s ) r e v e a l t h a t c e l l -w a l l p r ep a r a t i o n s f r o m a l l a c t i n o m y c e t e s c o n t a i n g l uc o s a m i n e , m u r a m i c a c i d , g l u t a m i c a c i d , a n d a l a n i n e a s m a j o r c o n s t i t u e n t s . u e of s p l i t t i n g t h a t g e n u s i n t o t w o g r o u p s , b u t t h i s m u s t a w a i t t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of s i m p l e a n d r e l i a b l e m e t h o d s f o r d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e b r o a d g r o u p o f t h e s t r e p t o m y c e t e s , i nc l u d i n g t h e p a t h o i c a c i d w i t h o r w i t h o u t g l y c i n e . P r e -. p a r a t i o n s f r o m s t r a i n s of D e r m a t o p h i l u s , T h e r m o a c t i n o m y c e s , M i c r o b i s p o r a a n d n o -' c a r d i a e of t h e m a d u r a e -p e l l e t i e r i t y p e c o nt a i n m e s o -d i a m i n o p i m e l i c a c i d . P r e p a r a t i o n s f r o m s t r a i n s of

Whole-cell hydrolysates were prepared from 58 strains of nocardiae and streptomycetes. Strains morphologically intermediate between the two genera and morphological variants of the same strains were included. Paper chromatograms made from the whole-cell hydrolysates clearly demonstrated meso -diaminopimelic acid as a major constituent of cultures of Nocardia spp., and LL-diaminopimelic acid as a major constituent of cultures of Streptomyces spp. In cultures of ten strains of N. madurae and of three of N. pelletieri, meso -diaminopimelic acid predominated, thereby supporting the assignment of these species to the genus Nocardia .