RAPID DIFFERENTIATION OF ARCHAEBACTERIA FROM EUBACTERIA BY DIFFUSE REFLECTANCE FOURIER-TRANSFORM IR SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF LIPID PREPARATIONS

A rapid method has been developed to distinguish pure cultures of archaebacteria from eubacteria. The strong acid methanolyzate of the total lipid extract was prepared by a simplified two-step process, and the diffuse reflectance Fourier-transform IR spectrum recorded. The height of the ester peak, expressed as a percent of the methyl peak, was chosen to distinguish the two kingdoms. The method was developed using four species of eubacteria and three species of archaebacteria, and then tested on another species of each. Minimum sample size for reliable results was 1 mg dry wt cells.