DIFFERENTIATION OF SELECTED MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY NEISSERIACEAE (ALYSIELLA, EIKENELLA, KINGELLA, SIMONSIELLA AND CDC GROUPS EF-4 AND M-5) BY CARBOHYDRATE FINGERPRINTS AND SELECTED PHENOTYPIC FEATURES

On the basis of nucleic acid relationships, the family Neisseriaceae c onsists of the genera Neisseria, Kingella, Simonsiella and of Alysiell a filiformis, Eikenella corrodens, and the CDC groups EF-4 and M-5. Di fferentiation, especially of the new members of the family, by convent ional phenotypic characteristics is difficult and in some cases leads to doubtful results. On the other hand, cellular components proved to be suitable for the characterization of bacterial taxa. We investigate d the cellular carbohydrates derived from whole cell hydrolysates of t he above mentioned taxa with the exception of Neisseria by gas chromat ography/mass-spectrometry. The analysis revealed characteristic patter ns for all taxa considered, although with some species of which only f ew strains were investigated so far only preliminary results could be established. With the method used, the carbohydrate analysis could be completed within six hours starting from a pure culture. All strains i nvestigated exhibited a common pattern with ribose, arabinose, glucose , and galactose. Qualitative and quantitative differences in contents of fucose, sorbose, rhamnose, threose, heptose, galactosamine and an a mino sugar similar to glucosamine discriminated members of the taxa in vestigated. To achieve a taxonomically precise differentiation of the species investigated by conventional phenotypic features as available in commercial rapid test kits, these tests should be completed by the carbohydrate analysis technique presented.