Fatty Acid Fingerprints of "Streptococcus milleri," Streptococcus mitis, and Related Species

Whole-cell fatty acid methylester fingerprints of 83 streptococcal strains were determined by gas chromatography. The major cellular fatty acids were invariably tetradecanoic, hexadecanoic, octadecanoic, and octadecenoic acids. On the basis of “minor fatty acid” composition, it was possible to distinguish between three types of streptococci of uncertain taxonomic status, collectively referred to in the literature as “Streptococcus milleri,” and two groups of serovars of Streptococcus mutans. Streptococcus mitis proved fairly heterogeneous, as expected. Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus sanguis had qualitatively distinct profiles.