CELL WALL ACYL TYPE IN SOME STRAINS OF STREPTOVERTICILLIUM AND STREPTOMYCES

Abstract

The cell wall acyl type was determined for representative strains from major taxonomic clusters within the genera Streptomyces and Streptoverticillium. Streptomycete strains contained between 2.5 and 7.5nmol of glycolic acid/mg of cells, confirming previous reports of the presence of an acetyl muramic acid. Streptoverticillium strains contained between 5.0 and 8.0nmol glycolic acid/mg of cells, indicating that they also have an acetyl rather than glycolyl muramic acid. The findings are discussed in the context of differences in lysozyme sensitivity between members of the two genera and in connection with the mechanism of lysozyme resistance in Streptoverticillum.