CONSTITUTIVE FATTY-ACID AND ENZYME PROFILES OF MYCOBACTERIUM SPECIES

Sixty-one strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and 47 strains of nontuberculous mycobacteria were analyzed for fatty acids and enzy me profiles. Cellular fatty acids were extracted from bacteria, methyl ated and analyzed by gas liquid chromatography operated either manuall y (Perkin-Elmer) or by the automatic Microbial Identification System. The major cellular fatty acids in all mycobacterial species were C16:0 and C18:1. Tuberculostearic acid was found in all species with the ex ception of Mycobacterium gordonae. The fatty acids with a carbon-lengt h longer than 20 could be detected only by conventional gas chromatogr aphy. Strains of M. tuberculosis had a high ratio of C26:0 to C24:0, a nd a relatively low ratio of C14:0 to C15:0. For determination of bran ched-chain fatty acids, the MIS provided more definitive results. The data indicated that the fatty acid profiles could provide rapid specie s identification. The results of the enzyme profile analysis using API -ZYM strips showed 39 different patterns from 59 strains of M. tubercu losis, and 41 different patterns from 46 nontuberculous mycobacteria s trains, suggesting that enzyme profiles can also be used for strain ch aracterization within the same species.