Polyamine distribution profiles in the eighteen genera phylogenetically located within the Flavobacterium-Flexibacter-Cytophaga complex

Cellular polyamines of eighteen genera belonging to the Flavobacterium-Flex ibacter-Cytophaga complex were analysed by ion exchange liquid chromatograp hy. Homospermidine was the major polyamine in the genera Bergeyella, Riemer ella, Ornithobacterium, Weeksella, Capnocytophaga, Polaribacter and Psychro flexus belonging to the family Flavobacteriaceae. In the family Spirosomace ae, Runella, Spirosoma and Flectobacillus species contained spermidine wher eas Cyclobacterium species contained homospermidine. Within a divergent clu ster, Haliscomenobacter and Lewinella species contained spermidine whereas Saprospira grandis contained agmatine alone. The major polyamine of Chitino phaga and Sporocytophaga species was homospermidine. Flexithrix dorotheae c ontained spermidine. Microscilla marina, the type species of the genus Micr oscilla, contained spermidine and cadaverine. However, 'Microscilla sericea ' contained homospermidine, 'Microscilla furvescens' contained spermidine, and 'Microscilla arenaria' lacked all polyamines. Polyamine profiles serve as a phenotypic chemotaxonomic marker for the reclassification of the gener a belonging to the complex.