Biochemical Markers and Microbial Phylogeny

Abstract

The distribution of chemical components in skeletal structures (cell walls), neurohormones, iodinated amino acids, sialic acid, sterols, bile salts, fatty acids, quinones, carotenoids, aldolase, glyoxylate cycle, cytochromes, DNA bases, amino acids, and phosphagens in organisms (particularly microorganisms) is described. The use of such biochemical markers in determining phylogeny and species relationships is discussed.