WHOLE-CELL PROTEIN PROFILING OF ACTINOBACILLUS-LIKE STRAINS CLASSIFIED AS TAXON-2 AND TAXON-3 ACCORDING TO BISGAARD

Thirty-nine strains representing all biovars established within the ta xa 2 and 3 complex of Bisgaard and two strains belonging to the avian [P.] haemolytical[A.] salpingitidis complex were characterized by one- dimensional SDS-PAGE of cellular proteins. The protein patterns, which contained 40 to 45 discrete protein bands, were highly reproducible. Numerical analysis of the background protein patterns obtained resulte d in six major and twelve minor groups (phena). Comparison of the phen a defined by protein profiling with species/groups previously establis hed by DNA: DNA hybridization, chemotyping and ''biotyping'' showed th at the best correlation existed between DNA: DNA hybridization and ''b iotyping''. A correlation between results obtained from DNA: DNA hybri dization and protein profiling was not obtained. With a few exceptions , a connection was demostrated between protein profiles and hosts from which the strains belonging to the respective phena originated.