Gas chromatographic study of cellular fatty acids of comma-shaped bacteria isolated from the vagina

Gas Chromatographic analyses were performed of the cellular fatty acids of 16 strains of comma-shaped bacteria isolated from the vagina of women with discharge. Acidic methanolysis of lyophilized bacterial cells was used, followed by splitless injection of hexane extracts onto a fused silica capillary column. Myristic (14∶0), hexadecanoic (16∶0), octadecadienoic (18∶2), octadecenoic (18∶1) and octadecanoic (18∶0) acids were the major fatty acids found. Long and short variants of the comma-shaped bacteria snowed a great similarity in their fatty acid patterns. No hydroxy acids were detected.