Detection of Fructose-6-phosphate Phosphoketolase (F6PPK), a Key Enzyme of the Bifid-Shunt, in Gardnerella vaginalis

Authors: Gavini F.¹; Van Esbroeck M.²; Touzel J.P.³; Fourment A.¹; Goossens H.²

Source: Anaerobe, Volume 2, Number 3, 1996 , pp. 191-193(3)

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Abstract:

The detection of Fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase (F6PPK) in cellular extracts, is considered to be the most reliable indication that Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria belong to the genus Bifidobacterium .

Recent phylogenetic studies using 16S rRNA sequencing highlighted the close taxonomic relationship between the species Gardnerella vaginalis and a group containing most of the Bifidobacterium species. In order to further investigate this relationship, we have searched for F6PPK activity in strains identified as `true' G. vaginalis and in other catalase-negative coryneform bacteria, recently described as Actinomyces turicensis -like.

Our data show that (i) the enzyme is only present in the G. vaginalis sensu stricto strains (ii) F6PPK can be considered as a taxonomic criterion of both Bifidobacterium and G. vaginalis strains, and not as the specific enzyme of the `Bifid-shunt'.

Keywords: Bifidobacterium

Language: English

Document Type: Miscellaneous

Affiliations: 1: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Unite d'Ecologie et de Physiologie du Systeme Digestif, Laboratoire des Fonctions des Bacteries Intestinales, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59651, France 2: Department of Microbiology, University Hospital UZA, Antwerp, Belgium 3: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Unite de Physicochimie et de Biotechnologie des Polymeres, Villeneuve d'Ascq, 59651, France

Publication date: 1996-01-01