Polyamine distribution patterns serve as a phenotypic marker in the chemotaxonomy of the <i>Proteobacteria</i>

Abstract

Polyamines of various genera of the class Proteobacteria were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography to determine if they can serve as taxonomic markers. The major polyamine of Zymomonas was homospermidine, whereas the Acetobacter–Gluconobacter complex contained spermidine, suggesting the presence of two different polyamine distribution patterns in the alpha subclass. Both the homospermidine-dominant type and the spermidine-dominant type were found in heterogeneous Sphingomonas species. Typical species belonging to the gamma subclass have their own unique polyamine pattern in Xanthomonas (spermidine), Azomonas (putrescine), Frateuria (spermidine), Alteromonas (putrescine–spermidine or spermidine), Shewanella (putrescine), Marinomonas (putrescine–spermidine or spermidine), Halomonas (putrescine–spermidine or spermidine), and Deleya (spermidine). Cadaverine was sporadically distributed in some species in these genera. Some strains classified into Rhizobacter, Zoogloea, Azomonas, or Alteromonas contained 2-hydroxyputrescine found exclusively in the beta subclass. Polyamine distribution patterns are genus- and (or) species-specific and can serve as a phenotypic marker in the chemotaxonomy of the Proteobacteria.Key words: polyamine, chemotaxonomy, Proteobacteria.