New Gas Chromatographic Characterization Procedure: Preliminary Studies on Some Pseudomonas Species

Abstract

Strains of saccharolytic and nonsaccharolytic Pseudomonas species were examined by a new single-step gas chromatographic characterization procedure. Cells were digested in a methanolic solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide pentahydrate, and the digestates were subjected to gas-liquid chromatographic analysis. The chromatograms were examined for similarities and differences in their overall patterns. A single component was defined for use as an internal qualitative and quantitative standardizing component in order to develop relative retention time-relative peak height profiles of each organism. Comparison of these profiles enabled the characterization of strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. putida, P. cepacia, P. pseudomallei, P. stutzeri, P. pseudoalcaligenes, P. alcaligenes, P. diminuta, P. denitrificans , and P. acidovorans . The P. maltophilia and P. putrefaciens digestates showed chromatograms which were superficially similar yet easily distinguished as belonging to different species. The chromatograms of these two organisms were very different from those of other pseudomonads.