Base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid of sulfate-reducing bacteria deduced from buoyant density measurements in cesium chloride

J Bacteriol. 1964 May;87(5):1073-8. doi: 10.1128/jb.87.5.1073-1078.1964.

Abstract

Saunders, Grady F. (University of Illinois, Urbana), L. Leon Campbell, and John R. Postgate. Base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid of sulfate-reducing bacteria deduced from buoyant density measurements in cesium chloride. J. Bacteriol. 87:1073-1078. 1964.-The base composition of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of sulfate-reducing bacteria was calculated from buoyant density measurements in CsCl. The sporulating sulfate-reducing bacteria fell into two groups: Desulfovibrio orientis with a DNA base composition of 42% guanine plus cytosine (G + C), and Clostridium nigrificans with a DNA base composition of 45% G + C. The mesophilic relative of C. nigrificans had a DNA base composition of 46% G + C. Thirty strains of nonsporulating sulfate-reducing bacteria called D. desulfuricans were studied. They fell into three groups as judged by DNA base composition: group I (11 strains), 60 to 62% G + C; group II (13 strains), 54 to 56% G + C; and group III (6 strains), 46 to 47% G + C. These data underline the need for a taxonomic revision of this group of microorganisms.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / analysis*
  • Centrifugation, Density Gradient
  • Clostridium / analysis*
  • Cytosine / analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis*
  • Densitometry
  • Guanine / analysis
  • Ultracentrifugation*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Guanine
  • Cytosine