Quantity and Fatty Acid Composition of Lipid Synthesized by Streptococcus Agalactiae and Streptococcus Uberis

Evidence is presented that the lipid synthesized by recently isolated strains of Streptococc~s agalactiae and Streptococc~s uberis contained higher percentages of 16and 18-carbon nmnoenoie acid(s) than that synthesized by strains from the stock eulture collection.The strains of S. agalactiae did not synthesize appreciable quantities of lactobacillie acid, whereas the strains of S. uberis resembled the lactic streptococci in this respect.Within recent years, quicker and more reliable techniques for isolation, purification, and identification of lipids and their components nave provided an impetus for n, any studies on the lipids synthesized by various bacterial species (3, 6, 12, 13, 15, 17).As little is known of the lipid content and component acids of the bovine pathogens, Streptocoee~s agalaetiae and Streptococcus uberis, this study was initiated to determine the content and composition of the lipids synthesized by these organisms and to ascertain if major differences existed between the lipids produced by the pathogenic streptococci and those of the previously studied species of nonpathogenie lactic streptococci, Streptococcus cremori G Streptococc~s lacti.%and Streptococcus lactis var.maltigenes (14,15). Experimental ProcedureCultures.Duplicate batches of 12 16 liters of trypticase soy broth (BBL), inoculated with two strains of S. agalactiae (A1 and A2) and two strains of S. uberis (U1 and U2), were the sources of the bacterial lipids.One of each of the two strains of S. agaIactiae (A1) and S. uberis (U1) were recent isolates from milk from infected bovine udders; the two other strains were from the stock culture collection of the mastitis laboratmT of the Department of Animal Diseases of the University of Connecticut. Lipid extraction.Medium, method of inoculation, collection, and preparation of cells were