Zur Taxonomie von Rhodopseudomonas palustris

Summary

Strains of Rhodopseudomonas palustris isolated from different habitats were compared with respect to their taxonomic features. All strains grew very well on formiate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, aspartate, inositol, ethanol, fructose, and p-amino-benzoate, respectively, as single carbon source. Most of the strains were able to use benzoic acid or glucose, too. But alanine was not found to be a good substrate. The maxima of the bacteriochlorophyll in-vivo-absorption spectra were estimated to be 376, 589, 802–805, and 858–875 nm. The shift of the infrared peak in the different strains is loosely correlated with the change of the carotenoid in vivo spectrum, the maxima of which were measured to be 470–480 nm (shoulder) 495–505 nm, and 520–545 nm (shoulder). Antisera were prepared against the strains 1e5 and 11/1. It was demonstrated that these antisera were directed against the lipopolysaccharides (O-antigen) of these bacteria. The antigen of 1e5 does not cross react with the antigen of 11/1. Strain 1e5 is the only one of 17 strains tested which is sensitive to the bacteriophage Rp1. The antigen of this strain cross reacted only with the antigen of strain K1. In contrast, the antigen of strain 11/1 cross reacted in some degree with most of the tested strains of Rps. palustris. No or very weak cross reaction was observed between the antigens of Rps. palustris (1e5, 11/1) and Rps. capsulata, Rps. spheroides, or R. rubrum, respectively. In contrast to 11/1 only heat-killed cells of strain 1e5 were agglutinated by anti-1e5.

Zusammenfassung

Eine Reihe von Rhodopseudomonas palustris-Stämmen aus verschiedenen Herkünften wurden vergleichend unter Verwendung folgender Merkmale untersucht: Substratverwertung, in vivo-Absorptionsspektrum und Serologie der O-Antigene. Die gegen 2 Stämme gerichteten Antiseren zeigen hohe Spezifität. Die Verwendbarkeit der serologischen Kreuzreaktion für taxonomische Untersuchungen bei photosynthetischen Bakterien wird diskutiert.