Detection of mycoloylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography as a tool for the rapid inclusion of corynebacteria of clinical origin in the genus Corynebacterium

A. chemotaxonomic study of some corynebacteria isolated from clinical sampl es revealed characteristic thin-layer chromatographic patterns for meso-dia minopimelic acid containing species included in the genera Corynebacterium, Dermabacter and Brevibacterium. Notably, a specific compound was consisten tly detected in mycolic acid containing species of the genus Corynebacteriu m. This compound was composed by glycerol and mycolic acids and structural analyses carried out by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry in C. minut issimum confirmed its identification as mycoloylglycerol. The chain length of mycoloyl groups in this molecule ranged from 28 to 34 carbon atoms, bein g mono-, di- or triunsaturated. Detection of mycoloylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography may be thus useful for the rapid inclusion of a great varie ty of corynebacteria of clinical origin in the genus Corynebacterium in lab oratories employing chromatographic techniques as an adjunct for the identi fication of these microorganisms. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.