New Approaches to Bacterial Taxonomy

Abstract

Homologies among bacteria can be compared at the genetic level (compatibility in episomic trans-fer, chromosomal gene sequences and genetic fine structure). Homol-ogies can also be studied at the level of biological macromolecules with respect to the proportions and ordering of the constituent monomeric-units. The homologies can range from the "micro" level (e.g., identi-cal nucleic-acid base sequences) to the "macro" level (e.g., ordering of genes on the chromosome). At the macromolecular level, the com-parison of several enzymes coded by related structural genes as well as the base analyses and hybridizability of their nucleic-acids should provide sufficient data to make a decision as to how closely related 2 organisms might be. The findings reported in this review are not in major conflict with the existing classification of bacteria.