39. Cellulomonas 



Cellulomonas is the generic name commonly used for a group 

 of gram-negative, simple rods which decompose cellulose. The 

 generic name is unfortunate since these bacteria show peritrichous 

 flagellation. 



Six strains labeled Cellulomonas were studied. Five of these 

 were supplied by Dr. H. W. Reuszer of Purdue University, and 

 one {Cellulomonas hiazotea) was supplied by William C. Haynes 

 of the Northern Regional Research Laboratory, U.S.D.A., Peoria, 

 Illinois. Two cultures failed to show either motility or flagella: C. 

 hiazotea, NRRL B-401, and Cellulomonas cellasea, Reuszer 124. 

 One strain was labeled Cellulomonas fima, Reuszer 133, and is 

 discussed under Conjnebacterium. The other three strains showed 

 good to fair flagellation and motility. 



Flagellar Characteristics 



Cellulomonas rossica, Reuszer 128, grew well on simple media, 

 produced colorless growth, and was very motile. Flagellation was 

 good with many normal peritrichous flagella per individual. No 

 variants were observed. Cellulomonas hihula grew well on simple 

 media with a yellow pigmentation. Flagellation was good but 

 each individual seldom showed more than one flagellum with 

 peritrichous arrangement. The curvature of the flagella was pure 

 curly except for a rare flagellum with the proximal end of very 

 long wavelength (approximately 2.8 microns) and the distal end 

 curly. Cellulomonas perlurida showed moderate growth with spots 

 of yellow on agar media. Flagellation was fair, with most in- 

 dividuals having only one flagellum and a few with two or more. 

 Most individuals showed pure curly peritrichous flagella. A few 

 individuals showed normal peritrichous flagella. Also in this strain 

 were observed flagella with proximal end normal and distal end 

 curly. One organism was observed with a long normal flagellum 

 and a short curly flagellum. Morphologically C. hihula and C. 

 perlurida were similar, while Cellulomonas rossiea was quite dif- 

 ferent. The normal flagella of C. rossica had an average wave- 

 length of 2.1 microns. Curly flagella were not observed in C. ros- 

 sica. The curly flagella of C. hihula and C. perlurida averaged 

 1.06 and 1.05 microns, respectively. The normal flagella of C 



96 



