A qualitative and quantitative study of the fatty acid composition of selected micro-organisms.

Fatty acid content was found to be an important parameter in the identification and numerical taxonomy of many micro-organisms. Isolates of the same species and genus as well as members of many well defined groups, such as the Enterobacteriaceae, were included in the study. A direct methylation procedure of the bacteria was found to be accurate, efficient and rapid. Fatty acids were found to be reliable indicators of micro-organisms in group, generic, specific and strain identification. Other biochemical tests were especially valuable when used in conjunction with fatty acid profiles in identification and classification of the bacteria studied.