A chemotaxonomic study was carried out on representative strains of 13 Aeromonas genomic species. Quinone, polyamine, and fatty acid patterns were found to be very useful for an improved characterization of the genus and an improved differentiation from members of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae. The Q-8-benzoquinone was the predominant ubiquinone, and putrescine and diaminopropane were the major poly amines of the genus. The fatty acid patterns of 181 strains, all characterized by DNA–DNA hybridization, showed a great homogeneity within the genus, with major amounts of hexadecanoic acid (16:0), hexadecenoic acid (16:1), and octadecenoic acid (18:1), and minor amounts of the hydroxylated fatty acids (3-OH 13:0, 2-OH 14:0, 3-OH 14:0) in addition to some iso and anteiso branched fatty acids (i-13:0, i-17:1, i-17:0, and a-17:0). Although some differences in fatty acid profiles between the genomic species could be observed, a clearcut differentiation of all species was not possible.Key words: Aeromonas, polyamines, quinones, fatty acids, differentiation.
Fatty acid patterns early after premature birth, simultaneously analysed in mothers' food, breast milk and serum phospholipids of mothers and infants
