Polyamine Distribution Profiles among Some Members within Delta-and Epsilon-Subclasses of Proteobacteria

Abstract

Cellular polyamines of 18 species（13 genera）belonging to the delta and epsilon subclasses of the class Proteobacteria were analyzed by HPLC and GC. In the delta subclass, the four marine myxobacteria（the order Myxococcales）, Enhygromyxa salina, Haliangium ochroceum, Haliangium tepidum and Plesiocystis pacifica contained spermidine. Fe（III）-reducing two Geobacter species and two Pelobacter species belonging to the order Desulfuromonadales contained spermidine. Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus was absent in cellular polyamines. Bacteriovorax starrii contained putrescine and spermidine. Bacteriovorax stolpii contained spermidine and homospermidine. Spermidine was the major polyamine in the sulfate-reducing delta proteobacteria belonging to the genera Desulfovibrio, Desulfacinum, Desulfobulbus, Desulfococcus and Desulfurella, and some species of them contained cadaverine. Within the epsilon subclass, three Sulfurospirillum species ubiquitously contained spermidine and one of the three contained spermidine and cadaverine. Thiomicrospora denitrificans contained cadaverine and spermidine as the major polyamine. These data show that cellular polyamine profiles can be used as a chemotaxonomic marker within delta and epsilon subclasses.