Distribution of a novel mycolic acid in species of the genus Mycobacterium

We found that Mycobacterium porcinum ATCC 33776(T) (T=type strain) contains a new kind of mycolic acid with a methoxy group at the ω-1 position. This mycolic acid was identified by comparing it with the previously described methoxymycolic acids. The patterns of mycolic acid methyl esters from 418 strains belonging to 44 species of mycobacteria were studied by using thin-layer chromatography. In addition to M. porcinum ATCC 33776(T), representative strains of M. porcinum, Mycobacterium fortuitum, ''Mycobacterium peregrinum,'' Mycobacterium senegalense, and a recently isolated Mycobacterium sp. contained appreciable amounts of the newly described mycolic acid.link_to_subscribed_fulltex