Journal des techniques analytiques et bioanalytiques

Abstrait

Assignment of functional groups in Gram-positive bacteria

Boguslaw Buszewski, Ewelina Dziubakiewicz, Pawel Pomastowski, Katarzyna Hrynkiewicz, Justyna Ploszaj-Pyrek, Ewa Talik, Markus Kramer and Klaus Albert

The chemical composition, molecular structure and physicochemical properties of five Gram-positive bacterial strain: Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Sarcina lutea, Staphylococcus aureus, Micococcus luteus were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), NMR spectroscopy and intact cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (IC MALDI TOF MS). An analysis of FTIR spectra as a function of pH revealed the three major types of cell wall functional groups – carboxyl group, amino group and phosphate group. An analysis of XPS spectra was determinate the major surface components of bacterial cell. 13C NMR and IC MALDI TOF MS spectra of six bacterial species were registered. Our findings indicate that chemical and structural differences in the cell composition of Gram-positive bacteria can be detected. The obtained results also demonstrate that the combination of FTIR, XPS and NMR spectroscopy with IC MALDI TOF MS technique yields useful information and complements other biochemical and physical methods of microbial cells characteristics.