NUMERICAL-ANALYSIS OF CELL-ENVELOPE PROTEIN PROFILES OF ACINETOBACTER STRAINS CLASSIFIED BY DNA-DNA HYBRIDIZATION

Cell emvelope protein profiles, obtained by sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), of Acinetobacter strains were compared with DNA hybridization data of the strains. The collection of strains comprised 98 field strains mostly from clinical sources in Sweden and the Netherlands and 22 strains from culture collections. Thirteen DNA groups were represented. Protein profiles were densitometrically recorded and subjected to numerical analysis. When the complete profile was used for analysis, the heavily stained bands outweighed the less heavily stained bands and the clustering did not correlate well with DNA groups. When the analysis was restricted to the upper part of the profile, consisting of minor bands of relatively high molecular weight, most strains belonging to the same DNA group clustered together. Thus, this part of the profile may help to identify strains at the DNA group level, while the complete profile can be used to differentiate strains within DNA groups. © 1990, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart · New York. All rights reserved.