Numerical and chemical classification of Streptosporangium and some related actinomycetes

One hundred and seventeen streptosporangia from soil were compared with marker strains of the family Streptosporangiaceae for many phenotypic properties. The data were examined using the Jaccard, pattern and simple matching coefficients with clustering achieved using average, complete and single linkage algorithms. Particular confidence was placed in the product of the pattern, average linkage analysis given the sharp definition of aggregate groups and clusters and a combination of low test error and high cophenetic correlation values. The test strains were assigned to five aggregate groups that were equated with the genera Streptosporangium (group A), Microbispora (group B), Planobispora and Planomonospora (Group C), Kutzneria (neé Streptosporangium viridogriseum (group D), and Microtetraspora (group E). The streptosporangia, both isolates and marker strains, were assigned to 5 major, 7 minor and 18 single membered clusters. Representative streptosporangia examined for chemical markers were characterised by the presence of meso-diaminopimelic acid in whole-organism hydrolysates, complex mixtures of straight- and branched chain fatty acids, di- and tetrahydrogenated menaquinones as predominant isoprenologues, and complex polar lipid patterns containing diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides and uncharacterised components. The chemical and numerical data support the taxonomic integrity of the validly described species of Streptosporangium and suggest that the genus is markedly underspeciated.