CELLULAR FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN BACTEROIDES ORALIS AND BACTEROIDES RUMINICOLA

Cellular fatty acid composition of 9 strains of Bacteroides ruminicola, 16 strains of B. oralis, and 6 reference strains including B. splachnicus, B. melaninogenicus var. melaninogenicus, B. melaninogenicus var. intermedius, B. asaccharolyticus, B. fragilis, and B. vulgatus was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The organisms tested were divided into three major groups based on composition.In the first group, 6 strains of B. ruminicola and 11 strains of B. oralis, B. melaninogenicus var. melaninogenicus, B. melaninogenicus var. intermedius, B. fragilis, and B. vulgatus were included. Anteiso-15:0 was the most abundant acid, and iso-15:0 and/or 3-OH-iso-17:0 were present in large quantity in most strains of this group. In the second group, 2 strains of B. ruminicola, and 1 strain of B. oralis, B. splachnicus, and B. asaccharolyticus were included. Iso-15:0 was the most abundant acid, and other major acids present were anteiso-15:0, 3-OH-iso-17:0 and so on. In the third group, 1 strain of B. ruminicola and 4 strains of B. oralis were included. A rather large amount of 16:0 was present, and other major acids found were anteiso-15:0 and/or iso-15:0.