Some Novel Aerobic Heparin-Degrading Bacterial Isolates

Sixteen heparinase producing strains were isolated from soil and activated sludge. Their taxonomic relationships were investigated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of sodium dodecylsulphate denatured whole-cell proteins, by the determination of the guanine plus cytosine content of their genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and by DNA : ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) hybridizations with labelled rRNA of Cytophaga heparina LMG 10339T. Three rRNA similarity groups were distinguished. Group I was found to be related to the type strain of Cytophaga heparina and was subdivided in two subgroups on the basis of protein electrophoretic profiling and differences in DNA base composition. Group II consisted of only one strain, which showed a lower Tm(e) value with rRNA of C. heparina LMG 10339T and revealed a different electrophoretic protein profile. Group III was found to be quite different from C. heparina. With a Tm(e) difference of more than 7 °C and a separate position in a numerical analysis of the protein electrophoretic profiles, the latter strains probably constitute a separate genus. © 1992, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart · New York. All rights reserved.