[Subordination of the taxa of gram-negative bacteria determined by numerical analysis methods]

Various numerical methods were used to estimate the coordination of taxa of gram-negative aerobic and facultative anaerobic organoheterotrophic and chemolithotrophic bacteria. Stable phena were found to be formed by cultures belonging to the families Rhizobiaceae, Halobacteriaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Nitrobacteriaceae (except the genus Nitrobacter), and Methylomonadaceae (except the genus Methylococcus). The unstable position was found in the genera Thermus, Zoogloea, Xanthomonas, Sulfolobus, Methylococcus, Alcaligenes, Brucella, and Acetobacter. The greatest scatter among the objects being analysed was detected among genera belonging to the family Pseudomonadaceae. The taxonomic position of these genera must be defined more precisely. The family Methylomonadaceae is related to such physiologically unique groups of microorganisms as nitrifying, sulfate-reducing, extreme thermophilic and halophilic forms. All in all, the data reported in this work show that numerical analysis can be used to specify the classification structure of bacteria. In a number of cases, the results are consistent with those changes which are performed in the Bergey Manual 9 using logical analysis (for instance, concerning the position of the genera Gluconobacter, Acetobacter, Beijerinckia, and Derxia).