BACTERIA DECOMPOSING CELLULOSES 203 



thermocellum V. F. and P) and the anaerobic organism of Khouvine 

 is given in table 14. The Bac. cellulosae clissolvens approaches the 

 Spirochaeta cytophaga in its cellulose-decomposing capacity, in being- 

 unable to grow on any media except those containing cellulose. CI. 

 thermocellum can grow with other sources of energy. One must keep 

 in mind, however, the fact that when this organism is grown on other 

 sources of energy it looses its power to decompose cellulose. 



Pectin decomposing bacteria. Pectins, like celluloses, are decomposed 

 by (1) fungi, 35 (2) aerobic bacteria, and (3) anaerobic bacteria. The 

 aerobic bacteria capable of decomposing pectins include Bac. astero- 

 sporus and Bac. mesentericus. ZG In addition to these organisms, there 

 are various other aerobic bacteria, such as Bac. subtilis, Bad. fluores- 

 ceins,^ Bac. macerans 37 and Pectinobacter amylophilum 3 * which were 

 found to be able to decompose pectins. The Bac. comesii and Bac. 

 kramerii of Rossi 39 are merely species of Bac. mesentericus or Bac. 

 asterosporus. 40 Mention should also be made of the bacteria causing 

 soft rots of vegetables, especially Bac. carotovorus, 41 which are capable 

 of breaking down pectins readily. 



The anaerobic bacteria capable of decomposing pectins include two 

 organisms: (a) Bac. amylobacter and (b) Bac. felsineus. The former 42 



35 Hauman, L. Etude microbiologique et chimique du rouissage aerobic du 

 lin. Ann. Inst. Past. 16: 379-385. 1902; Behrens, J. Uber die Taurotte von 

 Flachs und Hanf. Centrbl. Bakt. II, 10: 524-530. 1903; Die Pektingarung. 

 Lafar's Handb. techn. Mykol. 3: 269-286. 1904. 



36 Beijerinck, M. W., and van Delden, A. Over de bacterien, welke bij het 

 roten van vlas werdzaam zijn. Kon. Akad. Wetensch. te Amsterdam. Dec. 19: 

 673. 1903. 



37 Schardinger, F. Ueber die Bildung kristallisierter, Fehlingsche Losung 

 nicht reduzierender Korper (Polysaccharide) aus Starke durch mikrobielle 

 Tatigkeit. Centrbl. Bakt. II, 22: 98-103. 1909. 



38 Makrinov, I. A. Sur un nouveau microorganisme provoquant la fermenta- 

 tion de l'amidon et des matieres pectiques. Arch. Sci. Biol. 18: No. 5. 1915. 



39 Rossi, G., and Guarnieri, G. II bacillus comesii e le sue proprieta. Primi 

 tentativi di macerazione di fibre tessili con fermenti selezionati. R. Sc. Agr. 

 Portici. 1906; Industrial retting of textile plants by microbiological action. 

 Inter. Inst. Agr. Bur. Intel. PI. Dis. 7: 635. 1916. 



40 Ruschmann, G., and Ravendamm, W. Die Flachsroste mit Plectridium 

 peclinovorum (Bac. amylobacter A. M. Bredemann) und Bacillus felsineus Carbone. 

 Centrbl. Bakt. II, 65: 43-58. 1925. 



41 Jones, L. R. Pectinase, the cytolytic enzyme produced by Bacillus caroto- 

 vorus and certain other soft-rot organisms. N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bui. 11, 

 289-368. 1909. 



42 Bredemann, 1909 (p. 109). 



