DIVERSITY OF ISOLATES OF ACINETOBACTER FROM ACTIVATED-SLUDGE SYSTEMS BASED ON THEIR WHOLE-CELL PROTEIN-PATTERNS

Whole cell protein extracts from strains of the currently recognized g enomic species of Acinetobacter, together with those from a range of i solates of several genomic species identified using the Biolog system and obtained from a biological nutrient-removal activated sludge plant were analysed by SDS-PAGE. The dendrograms obtained after numerical a nalysis for the known genomic species generally supported the taxonomi c relationships suggested from earlier DNA-DNA hybridisation data. In some cases the activated sludge isolates identified to genomic species level clustered closely with the corresponding genomic species refere nce strains, although isolates 5 and 8/9 were scattered throughout the dendrogram. Considerable Variations were seen in the protein patterns of the 27 different environmental isolates of genomic species 7 that were analysed. Three unidentified Acinetobacter isolates examined form ed their own subcluster.