A CHEMOTAXONOMIC STUDY OF MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY HALOMONADACEAE

All type strains of species of the genera Deleya and Halomonas, which together comprise the family Halomonadaceae, as well as type strains of the species Alcaligenes aquamarinus, Pseudomonas halophila and Halovibrio variabilis were analysed for their respiratory quinone, polar lipid and fatty acid compositions. All strains contained ubiquinone 9 as the major respiratory quinone with traces of ubiquinone 8. While the majority of strains snowed similarities in polar lipid “fingerprints”, Pseudomonas halophila showed substantial differences when compared with the other strains. The analyses showed that no clear distinction existed between currently recognised members of the two genera Deleya and Halomonas. All members of the family, Halovibrio variabilis and Alcaligenes aquamarinus, contained 16:1 cis 9, 16:0, 17:0 cyclo, 18:1, and 19:0 cyclo 11–12 as major fatty acid components. Pseudomonas halophila contained 18:1 cis 9, present only in trace amounts in the other species, as the major fatty acid, as well as 10 methyl 18:0. Pseudomonas halophila lacked cyclopropane-containing fatty acids. It was concluded that Alcaligenes aquamarinus and Halovibrio variabilis are members of the family Halomonadaceae and could perhaps be accomodated within existing genera of the family. No clear chemotaxonomic distinction exists between species of the genera Deleya and Halomonas. Pseudomonas halophila is chemotaxonomically distinct from members of the family Halomonadaceae. © 1990, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart · New York. All rights reserved.