[Differentiation of Citrobacter strains using electrophoretic protein patterns].

The aim of this study was checking of the usefulness of electrophoretic protein patterns in differentiation of Citrobacter strains. For analysis of whole-cell proteins 181 Citrobacter strains were prepared. Electrophoresis was performed in Mini Protean Duall Slab Cell (Bio-Rad) apparatus. Electrophoresis was carried out in 10% polyacrylamide gel according to the SDS-PAGE method of Laemmli. Whole-cell proteins of all tested Citrobacter strains gave after electrophoresis 12 to 20 bands. Patterns consisting of 12 to 20 fragments ranging in size from 70,000 to 14,000 and smaller, were not distinguishable. There were no significant differences between electrophorograms of Citrobacter strains belonging to the different species, useful for species differentiation. Identical protein band patterns were observed in the case of selected strains e.g. strains C. sedlakii studied in this study, coming from an outbreak, having the some phenotype.