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Rapid identification of Francisella tularensis using fatty acid profiles
Author(s) -
Whittaker Paul,
Day James B.,
Curtis Sherill K.,
Fry Frederick S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1299-b
Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC‐FID) analysis of chemical components of bacterial cells has provided useful information for rapid detection and identification of bacteria in clinical and diagnostic bacteriology laboratories and currently has increased significance for both food safety and food defense. In this study, a rapid 5 minute GC‐FID method was used to determine the cellular fatty acid profiles of Francisella tularensis . Two subspecies of F. tularensis , the live vaccine strain (LVS) derived from holarctica and novicida strain Utah 112 (U112), were used to compare the extracted fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). A data set for the two subspecies was prepared using fatty acid profiles of bacteria grown on two types of media, Mueller‐Hinton and enriched chocolate agar (cysteine heart agar supplemented with 5% rabbit blood [CHAB]), and harvested at various time intervals. It was determined by this method that six saturated fatty acids 10:0, 12:0, 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 20:0, and four hydroxy fatty acids 10:0 2OH, 16:0 3OH, 17:0 3OH, 18:0 3OH comprised approximately 88% of the fatty acids in both strains. Data analysis and determination of clustering were performed by principal component analysis (PCA) and soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA). Both PCA and SIMCA showed clear separation of the LVS and U112 strains and would be useful for prediction of unknowns. Analysis of FAMEs from F. tularensis subspecies LVS and U112 grown on CHAB or Mueller‐Hinton media, and using a rapid GC method can provide a sensitive procedure for identification of these organisms.