[ODP-037] Comparison of cell morphology between the species in genus Mycobacteroides examined with cryo-TEM
In 2018, novel genera were emended in the family Mycobacteriaceae. One of the genus Mycobacteriodes contains 6 species with 3 subspecies. These species share 24 conserved signature peptides and 27 conserved signature indels, and, therefore, closely related in the phyletic affinity each other. In this study, the fundamental cell morphologies of these species were examined with whole-mount cryo-TEM. Cell diameter, cell length, cell perimeter, circularity and aspect ratio were measured with ImageJ/Fiji software and compared between species. In 75 comparisons, there were no significant differences between Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. bolletti and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense. Also, there were no significant differences between M. immunogenum and M. salmoniphilum in the cell length and perimeter. In addition, there were no significant differences between M. abscessus subspecies and M. immunogenum in circularity and aspect ratio. However, in all other 57 comparisons, there were significant differences. Especially, M. chelonae was found to be distinct from other species because all comparisons were significant.