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Differentiation of Bacillus anthracis from Bacillus cereus by gas chromatographic whole-cell fatty acid analysis
D Lawrence1, S Heitefuss, H S Seifert
1Institute for Tropical Animal Health, Georg-August-University, Gottingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
Abstract:
Three strains of Bacillus anthracis and seven strains of Bacillus cereus were grown on complex medium and on synthetic medium. Gas chromatographic analysis of whole-cell fatty acids of strains grown on complex medium gave nearly identical fatty acid patterns. Fatty acid patterns of strains grown on synthetic medium showed a high content of branched-chain fatty acids. Significant differences between the fatty acid patterns of the two species were found. Odd iso/anteiso fatty acid ratios were about equal in B. anthracis strains, whereas in B. cereus strains the fractions of iso acids were at least twice as high as the fractions of anteiso acids. The method described herein is used in our diagnostic laboratory to help differentiate between these two species.