Five types of polyamine distribution patterns in thiobacilli

Polyamines in 12 species (19 strains) of sulfuroxidizing eubacteria belonging to Thiobacillus were analyzed. Their polyamine distribution patterns were separated into 5 types. T. neapolitanus contained putrescine alone (first type), T. intermedius, T. perometabolis, T. thioparus and a strain of T. denitrificans putrescine and 2-hydroxyputrescine (second type), T. acidophilus, T. organoparus, T. versutus, T. tepidarius, T. thiooxidans and T. ferrooxidans putrescine and spermidine (third type), T. novellus putrescine and homospermidine (fourth type), and a strain of T. denitrificans diaminopropane, putrescine and homospermidine (fifth type). Thus, thiobacilli could be rearranged into different taxonomic positions within Proteobacteria on the basis of polyamine distribution patterns.