Characterization of Mycobacterium leprae by lipid analysis.

The lipid composition of the leprosy bacillus, harvested from experimentally infected nine-banded armadillos, strongly supports it status as a distinct species of the genus Mycobacterium. Phthiocerol dimycocerosate waxes and glycosylated phenophthiocerol dimycocerosates are distinct from those characterised from a number of other mycobacteria. The polar lipids of a single isolate lack diacylated forms of phosphatidylinositol di- and pentamannosides, lipids usually found in most mycobacteria. A simple mycolic acid pattern composed of alpha-mycolates and ketomycolates is characteristic of most preparations of M. leprae.