Cell wall structural divergence among Thermus spp.

The fine structure of sacculi from Thermus thermophilus HB27, T. aquaticus YT-1 and Thermus ATCC27737 has been worked out by HPLC analysis and mass sp ectrometry techniques. The three microorganisms have a murein composition o f the rare A3 beta chemotype, but showed substantial differences in muropep tide composition Phenylacetylated muropeptides, previously described in T, thermophilus HB8, were detected exclusively in T. thermophilus HB27. Murein from T. aquaticus YT-1 was devoid of D-Ala-D-Ala terminated muropeptides, which were, in contrast, abundant in T. thermophilus HB27 and Thermus ATCC2 7737. The significance of these findings is discussed. (C) 1999 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.