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Abstract
Esterases of 15 strains of Serratia odorifera, 14 strains of S. fonticola and 13 strains of S. ficaria were resolved by horizontal electrophoresis in polyacrylamide-agarose gel. Esterase bands were defined by their range of activity towards several synthetic substrates and their sensitivity or resistance to di-isopropyl fluorophosphate. Serratia odorifera strains showed three to five major esterase bands and three minor bands. Serratia fonticola strains showed three or four major bands and one minor band. Serratia ficaria strains showed three to five major bands and one minor band. The comparative distribution of bands revealed that these three newly described species could be distinguished by the electrophoretic patterns of their esterases. Congruence was found between biotypes 1 and 2 of S. odorifera and electrophoretic patterns. These species-specific patterns were different from those of S. marcescens, S. liquefaciens, S. plymuthica and S. marinorubra previously characterized.
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