DIFFERENTIATION OF BREVIBACTERIUM SPECIES BY ELECTROPHORETIC PROTEIN-PATTERNS

Twenty strains representing four Brevibacterium species were studied f or cellular protein patterns. Numerical analysis of normalized and sta ndardized protein profiles, resulted in the grouping of strains receiv ed as B. casei into a distinct cluster. The type strains of B. iodinum and B. epidermidis remained ungrouped. Strains of B. linens were foun d in two separate clusters, which correlated with the groupings obtain ed in DNA-DNA hybridization studies. Highly standardized cellular prot ein profiles supports the current taxonomy of the genus and can be use d for species differentiation.