Abstract
Fifty five strains of 13 species of Rhodospirillaceae and one strain of Chromatium vinosum were examined for isoprenoid quinone composition. These bacteria were divided into the following five categories on the basis of their predominant quinone patterns: Q-10-Rhodospirillum rubrum, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Rhodopseudomonas capsulata, Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides, and Rhodopseudomonas sulfidophila; Q-10+MK-10-Rhodopseudomonas acidophila; Q-9+MK-9-Rhodospirillum fulvum, Rhodospirillum molischianum, Rhodopseudomonas viridis, and Rhodopseudomonas globiformis; Q-8-Rhodospirillum photometricum and atypical strains of Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa; Q-8+MK-8-Rhodospirillum tenue, R. gelatinosa, and C. vinosum. The significance of the quinone system in Rhodospinillaceae taxonomy is discussed in comparison with available information on other taxonomic properties such as morphology and photosynthetic membrane systems and on some phylogenetic characteristics.
