Medically important microorganisms can be identified in many ways. Conventional methods usually rely on the enzyme activity. Immunodiagnosis and nucleotide hybridization techniques have improved sensitivity, specificity, precision, but required
probe
and high technique.
Cellular fatty acid analysis which is one of the chemotaxonomy method is also precise and can result in the definition of high discrimmatory properties.
The prospects for using GLC of bacterial cellular fatty acids in diagnostic microbiology have been appreciated for several years in our laboratory. Whole cell fatty acid methylester(FAME) profiles of the bacteria were studied using GLC with
application
of the fused silica capillary column and the results were as follows:
1. Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative species have qualitatively similar FAME composition, but the quantitative differencies were distinguished from each species. They consist mainly of C14:0 iso, C15:0 iso, C15:0 anteiso, C16:0,
C18:0,
C20:0.
2. Comparison of FAME of 3 different genera in Enterobacteriaceae which is Proteus milabilis, klebsiella pneumonia, Citobacter diversus were very different. Typical FAME are C-16:0, C17:0 cyclo, C19:0 cyclo, C16:1 cis 9, Most also contain C12:0
20H,
C14:0 20H, C16:1 C in variable amounts.
3. Comparison of FAME of 4 different Family which is Bacillus thuringiensis, Acinetogbacter baumannii, Aeromonas caviae, Salmonella choleraesuis were very different and could be distinguished from each other.
In conclusion, this study provided clinical feasibility of utilizing GLC in rapid detection and identification of several bacterial groups or species.
|