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Genetic and Phenetic Classification of Bacteria

1973; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0065-2164(08)70026-1

0065-2164

Rita R. Colwell,

Enzyme Production and Characterization

This chapter provides a review of the numerical taxonomy (NT) of bacteria, with results of molecular taxonomic studies. The results of molecular taxonomic studies provide valuable information and are largely correlative with NT analyses. The combination of phonetic and genetic methods in microbial taxonomy provides a powerful tool for developing an objective, reproducible, and information-rich taxonomy for the bacteria. DNA-based composition and base-sequence measurements obtained by DNA/DNA hybridizations have confirmed relationships established by measurement of the expressed phenotype, using the methods of NT. In one of the first NT studies of bacteria, data were analyzed for staphylococcus strains, including Staphylococcus aureus, S. saprophyticus, S. lactis, S. roseus, and S. afermentans. The chapter mentions that new methods are needed to improve the resolution of relatedness based on phenotypic expression. Precise measurement of the gene product can be done by amino acid sequencing of proteins. Isozyme analysis and determination of allosteric regulation of branch-chain pathways approach the taxonomic precision of amino acid sequencing of enzyme proteins.