Chemical composition as a criterion in the classification of aerobic actinomycetes

Abstract

The information concerning the main components found in cell wall preparations and whole-cell hydrolysates of some 600 strains of aerobic actinomy-cetes is reviewed. The results show that whole-cell sugar patterns can usually be used to predict cell wall composition and that the combination of both criteria permit separation of aerobic actinomycetes into 10 taxonomically useful groups.