A BIPHASIC APPROACH TO THE DETERMINATION OF THE PHENOTYPIC AND GENOTYPIC DIVERSITY OF SOME ANAEROBIC, CELLULOLYTIC, THERMOPHILIC, ROD-SHAPED BACTERIA

A biphasic approach, involving a numerical phenetic and a phylogenetic study, was used to determine diversity among some anaerobic, cellulol ytic, thermophilic, rod-shaped bacteria. Ninety two characters were de termined for 51 strains in the numerical taxonomy study, and partial 1 6S rDNA sequences from 16 isolates were compared. Both the phenetic an d phylogenetic data indicate diversity within this group of organisms, and reveal the lack of similarity between sporogenous and asporogenou s isolates. The results of the phylogenetic study demonstrate the lack of relationship of the majority of the strains studied to previously studied thermophilic bacteria. In general, good correlation exists bet ween the two data sets, but discrepancies arise when strains with a hi gh level of similarity are examined. The need for caution in the inter pretation of data obtained from such a biphasic approach is discussed.