FAMILY MICROCOCCACEAE 



287 



Utilizes peptones, yeast water or brotli 

 as source of nitrogen. Cannot utilize 

 amino acids or inorganic nitrogen. 



Principal products of metabolism are 

 carbon dioxide, butyric and acetic acids. 



Non-pathogenic. 



Limits of pH 1.0 to 9.5. 



Temperature relations : Optimum 30°C. 

 Maximum 40°C. Minimum 15°C. Killed 

 in twenty minutes at 55°C. 



Microaerophilic to anaerobic. 



Source : Isolated from fermenting malt 

 mash. 



Habitat : Acidified flour pastes, wheat 

 bran; seldom in soils. Also intestinal 

 contents of guinea pigs (Crecelius and 

 Rettger, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 10). 



3. Sarcina methanica (Smit) Wein- 

 berg et al. (Methaansarcine, Sohngen, 

 Inaug. Diss., Delft, 1906, 104; Zymosar- 

 cina methanica Smit, Die Garungssar- 

 cinen. Pflanzenforschung, Heft 14, 1930, 

 25; Methanosarcina methanica Kluyver 

 and Van Kiel, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 94, 

 1936, 400; Barker, Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 

 7, 1936, 420; Weinberg, Xativelle and 

 Prevot, Les Microbes Anaerobies, 1937, 

 1032.) From M. L. methanum, meth- 

 ane; M. L. methanicus, related to 

 methane. 



Description from Weinberg, Nativelle 

 and Prevot {loc. cit.) and Smit {loc. cit.). 



Spheres: 2.0 to 2.5 microns, occurring 

 in packets of 8 or more cocci. Non-mo- 

 tile. Gram-variable. 



Growth in solutions of calcium acetate 

 and possibly butyrate and inorganic am- 

 monium salts. Carbon dioxide is needed 

 for growth. 



In acetate-agar (with addition of some 

 HaS and NaHCOs) : Colonies of 50 to 100 

 microns are formed, showing gas forma- 

 tion. 



Cultural characters as yet unknown. 



Peptones not attacked. 



Cellulose reaction negative. 



Utilizes ammonium salts as source of 

 nitrogen. No organic nitrogen com- 

 pounds utilized. 



Carbohydrates not fermented. Ethyl 

 alcohol is not fermented. 



Principal products from the metab- 

 olism of calcium acetate and butyrate 

 are methane, carbon dioxide and calcium 

 carbonate. 



Non-pathogenic . 



Optimum temperature 35° to 37°C. 



Strict anaerobe. Killed by a short 

 contact with the air. 



Distinctive characters : Utilizes am- 

 monium salts and acyclic acids producing 

 methane and carbonic acid. 



Source : Sediment in methane fer- 

 mentation (Weinberg et al.). Isolated 

 from mud (Smit). 



Habitat : Swamp waters and mud ; 

 fermenting sewage sludge. 



4. Sarcina lutea Schroeter. (Kryp- 

 tog. Flora v. Schlesien, 8, 1, 1886, 154; 

 also see Klein, Microorganisms and Dis- 

 ease, 1885, 43; Eisenberg, Bakt. Diag., 

 1 Aufl., Taf. 2, 1886; Fliigge, Die Mikro- 

 organismen, 2 Aufl., 1886, 179; Frankland 

 and Frankland, Phil. Trans. London, 

 178, B, 1888, 265.) From Latin lutens, 

 yellow. 



Spheres: 1.0 to 1.5 microns, showing 

 packets in all media. Gram-positive. 



Gelatin colonies : Circular up to 5 mm. 

 in diameter, sulfur-yellow, sinking into 

 the medium. 



Gelatin stab : Slow infundibuliform 

 liquefaction. 



Agar colonies : Yellow, coarsely granu- 

 lar, circular, raised, moist, glistening, 

 entire margin. 



Agar slant : Sulfur to chrome yellow, 

 smooth, soft. 



Broth : Clear with abundant yellow 

 sediment. 



Litmus milk: Coagulated, becoming 

 alkaline. 



Potato : Sulfur to chrome yellow, 

 raised; sometimes limited growth. 



Slight indole formation. 



Nitrites generally produced from ni- 

 trates. 



