THE MENAQUINONE SYSTEM IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF CORYNEFORM AND NOCARDIOFORM BACTERIA AND RELATED ORGANISMS

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Thirty-nine cultures were examined for the MK system, which belong to the coryneform genera Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium, Micobacterium, and Cellulomonas, and to the actinomycetous genera Mycobacterium, Nocardia, and Oerskovia. The coryneform bacteria were found to have the complex quinone systems composed of MK-8, MK-8 (H₂), MK-8 (H₄), MK-9, MK-9 (H₂), MK-9 (H₄), and MK-11. The actinomycetous organisms represented the systems of MK-8 (H₄), MK-9 (H₂), MK-9 (H₄), and MK-9 (H₆). These results indicate a heterogeneous nature of these organisms. Discussions are made on the classification, especially on several groupings.