Cultural and chemical characterization of CDC groups EO-2, M-5, and M-6, Moraxella (Moraxella) species, Oligella urethralis, Acinetobacter species, and Psychrobacter immobilis

Abstract

We determined phenotypic characteristics, cellular fatty acid composition, and isoprenoid quinone content of representative strains of CDC groups EO-2, M-5, and M-6, Moraxella (Moraxella) species, Oligella urethralis, Acinetobacter species, and Psychrobacter immobilis. All organisms contained ubiquinone with eight isoprene units as the major isoprenolog, but distinct differences were observed in fatty acid composition. Twenty-eight of the original collection of CDC group EO-2 strains were further identified as P. immobilis, EO-2, or EO-3 by distinctive cellular fatty acid profiles, cellular morphology, and pigment production. The cellular fatty acid compositions of M-5 and M-6 were similar but were clearly different from those of other organisms. The genus Acinetobacter was differentiated from other organisms in the study by small amounts of 2-hydroxydodecanoic acid (2-OH-12:0), and P. immobilis was differentiated by small amounts of decanoic acid (10:0) and a branched-chain 17-carbon acid (i-17:0). All Moraxella species were distinguished by small amounts of decanoic acid (10:0) and the absence of i-17:0. M. bovis, M. nonliquefaciens, and some strains of M. lacunata formed a single fatty acid group, while M. osloensis, M. phenylpyruvica, M. atlantae, and other strains of M. lacunata (M. lacunata II) had species-specific fatty acid profiles. O. urethralis differed from Moraxella species by the presence of large amounts (49%) of cis-vaccenic acid (18:1 omega 7c), small amounts (1%) of 3-hydroxyhexadecanoate (3-OH-16:0), and the absence of 10:0 and 3-hydroxydodecanoate (3-OH-12:0). The combined use of chemical data and a small number of conventional tests permitted rapid identification and differentiation of these organisms from each other and from related organisms.