RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Macnaughton, S. J. A1 O'Donnell, A. G A1 Embley, T. M.YR 1994 T1 Permeabilization of mycolic-acid-containing actinomycetes for in situhybridization with fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probes JF Microbiology, VO 140 IS 10 SP 2859 OP 2865 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-140-10-2859 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2080, AB The application of whole-cell hybridization using labelled oligonucleotide probes in microbial systematics and ecology is limited by difficulties in permeabilizing many Gram-positive organisms. In this investigation paraformaldehyde treatment, acid methanolysis and acid hydrolysis were evaluated as a means of permeabilizing mycolic-acid-containing actinomycetes prior to hybridization with a fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probe designed to bind to a conserved sequence of bacterial 16S rRNA. Methods were evaluated on stationary-phase cultures of Gordona bronchialis, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Nocardia asteroides, N. brasiliensis, Rhodococcus equi, R. erythropolis, R. fascians, R. rhodochrousand Tsukamurella paurometabola, none of which could be probed following 4% (w/v) paraformaldehyde fixation. For comparison and to test the general applicability of mild acid pretreatments, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Escherichia coliand Pseudomonas putidawere also studied. The data showed that most of the mycolic-acid-containing organisms were successfully permeabilized by mild acid hydrolysis in 1 M HCl at 37°C. Cells were treated for different lengths of time. In general, the mycolic-acid-containing organisms required between 30 and 50 min hydrolysis, whereas B. subtilis, E. coliand P. putidawere rendered permeable in only 10 min. Interestingly, L. plantarumcould not be permeabilized using acid hydrolysis even after 60 min exposure to 1 M HCl., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-140-10-2859