Gas chromatographic study of cellular fatty acids of comma-shaped bacteria isolated from the vagina.

Gas chromatographic analyses were performed of the cellular fatty acids of 16 strains of comma-shaped bacteria isolated from the vagina of women with discharge. Acidic methanolysis of lyophilized bacterial cells was used, followed by splitless injection of hexane extracts onto a fused silica capillary column. Myristic (14:0), hexadecanoic (16:0), octadecadienoic (18:2), octadecenoic (18:1) and octadecanoic (18:0) acids were the major fatty acids found. Long and short variants of the comma-shaped bacteria showed a great similarity in their fatty acid patterns. No hydroxy acids were detected.