PHOSPHOLIPID MOLECULAR-SPECIES DISTRIBUTION OF ORAL PREVOTELLA-CORPORIS CLINICAL ISOLATES

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of phospholipi d molecular species within Prevotella corporis of oral origin. Phospho lipids of fresh clinical isolates were extracted and analysed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) in negative-ion mode. The major monocarboxylate anion peaks, with putative identification, obser ved for Prevotella corporis were m/z 241, C(15:0); 255, C(16:0); 269, C(17:1); 277, C(18:3); 279, C(18:2); 281, C(18:1). In the high mass re gion, major anion peaks putatively identified as individual phospholip id (PL) molecular species of Prevotella corporis were of m/z 677, PG(2 9:1); 691, PG(30:1); 705, PG(31:1); 706, first isotope peak of PG(31:1 ); and 707, PG(31:0). Related species have a different distribution of PL analogues. Separation of extracted lipid families by TLC confirmed that phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) are the major polar lipids (PLs) in Prevotella corporis. Thus Prevotella c orporis has a unique combination of phospholipid analogues of chemosys tematic significance. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.