Chemical identification of some cell-wall components of microorganisms isolated from human leprosy lesions

The cell walls of 24 coryneform non-acid-fast, Gram-positive organisms isolated from human leprosy lesion, were hydrolysed and analysed. Four known chemical markers of different high polymer components of the walls of microorganisms of the CMN (Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia) group were detected in whole cells and cell wall hydrolysates of the coryneform bacteria analyzed. These markers were: meso-diaminopimelic acid (peptidoglycan), arabinose and galactose (arabinogalactan), and mycolic acids. In addition, mycolic acids proved to be of the corynomycolic type, as shown by thin layer chromatography analysis. The conclusion was drawn that these coryneform strains independently isolated from patients of different countries, represent a homogeneous group within the genus Corynebacterium. This inference is supported by a parallel work showing that the guanine-plus-cytosine content of the DNA of these coryneform strains falls within the range of values characteristic of true corynebacteria pathogenic for animals.