Cellular fatty acid composition of Lautropia mirabilis

Ten strains of Lautropia mirabilis (ATCC 51599(T) and nine phenotypically s imilar clinical isolates) were examined for cellular fatty acid (CFA) compo sition to evaluate their chemical relatedness to known bacterial species an d groups. The CFAs were liberated from whole cells by base hydrolysis, meth ylated, and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. CFA profiles were genera ted by using a commerical software package (MIDI, Newark, Del.). All strain s tested had an identical CFA profile characterized by major amounts of 16: 1 omega 7c (41%) and 16:0 (44%); smaller amounts (1 to 4%) of 3-OH-10:0, 12 :0, 14:0, 15:0, and 18:1 omega 7c; trace amounts (<1%) of 10:0, 18:2 and 18 :0; and no cyclopropane acids. This profile was similar to the CFA profiles of Acidovorax delafieldii, Comamonas terrigena, and strains of an unclassi fied Centers for Disease Control group designated weak oxidizer group 1. CF A analysis, when supplemented by phenotypic characterization, is useful for the identification of L. mirabilis isolates.