Abstract
AThe presence of diaminopimelic acid (m-DAP) in strains of Bacteroides melaninogenicus, B. bivius and other species as well as in unidentified strains of Bacteroides was investigated by thin-layer chromatography. Strains of B. bivius and B. disiens all contained m-DAP as did the subspecies intermedius and melaninogenicus of B. melaninogenicus. Strains of B. asaccharolyticus and similar black pigment-producing butyrate-positive isolates showed heterogeneity. Asaccharolytic strains were DAP negative, whereas two strains fermenting glucose were positive. Some of the non-pigmented propionate-negative and butyrate-negative unidentified strains also contained DAP. The consistent finding of m-DAP in strains of B. bivius, B. disiens, and B. melaninogenicus indicates that DAP detection might be of value in the identification of these species.