Cell wall analysis of oral filamentous bacteria.

The cell wall compositions of 41 strains of oral filamentous bacteria belonging to the genera Fusobacterium, Leptotrichia and Bacterionema were examined by paper chromatography. Leptotrichia walls showed principally alanine, glutamic acid, DAP, glycine and aspartic acid. The genus Bacterionema had the same amino acids but aspartic acid appeared to be a minor component and was not detected in the mucopeptide fraction of the cell walls. The strains of Fusobacterium gave an amino acid pattern characteristic of Gram-negative bacteria; however, lysine was a major component in the mucopeptide. The genus Leptotriclzia is thus distinct from the other two genera and should include two species, Leptotrichia buccalis and another organism termed ‘Anaerobic filaments ’.