COMPLEMENTATION OF LECITHINASE ACTIVITIES BY CLOSELY RELATED PSEUDOMONADS: ITS TAXONOMIC IMPLICATION.

Bates, Janice L. (University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Ky.) and Pinghui V. Liu. Complementation of lecithinase activities by closely related pseudomonads: its taxonomic implication. J. Bacteriol. 86:585-592. 1963.-A lecithinase activity was demonstrated by a mixture of cell-free extracts from two strains of closely related pseudomonads, neither of which was able to show this activity when grown alone. One component, from B-2265 (Pseudomonas aureofaciens var. nonliquefaciens), was heatlabile, nondialyzable, and antigenic. The other component, from 22/3 (P. fluorescens), was relatively heat-stable, nondialyzable, and nonantigenic. Antisera produced with the component of B-2265 alone neutralized the activity of the complete enzyme made up with both components, as well as that of similar enzymes of related species, such as P. aureofaciens, P. chlororaphis, and P. fluorescens. The taxonomic implication of these findings is discussed. The suggestion is made that determination of the serological specificity of an enzyme or its antigenic subunits is a more reliable criterion for establishing relationships of bacterial strains than methods depending on the overall similarity of biochemical activities.