POLYAMINE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS IN AEROBIC GRAM-POSITIVE COCCI AND SOME RADIO-RESISTANT BACTERIA

Cellular polyamines of various aerobic Gram-positive cocci and some radio-resistant eubacteria were analyzed. Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species except for some spermidine-containing or cadaverine-containing strains were lacking in polyamines. Planococcus species ubiquitously contained putrescine, spermidine and agmatine. Marinococcus were divided into two groups, one of which contains no polyamine and another putrescine, spermidine and agmatine. Polyamines were not detected in Pediococcus, Tetragenococcus, Aerococcus, Alloiococcus, Helcococcus and Kineococcus species. Spermidine was found in Stomatococcus mucilaginosus and Salinicoccus hispanicus while no polyamine was detected in Salinicoccus roseus. Sporosarcina halophila and Sporosarcina ureae ubiquitously contained spermidine, however, agmatine was found in the former and spermine in the latter. Polyamine profiles were heterogeneous within aerobic Gram-positive cocci, though each profile was specific for the genera. Different polyamine patterns found in the genera Marinococcus, Salinicoccus and Sporosarcina suggest the heterogeneity of these genera. Radio-resistant Rubrobacter radiotolerans was devoid of polyamines, whereas spermidine was detected in radio-resistant Deinobacter grandis as well as radio-tolerant Deinococcus species.