412 MANUAL OF DETERMINATIVE BACTERIOLOGY 



FAMILY IX. ACHROMOBACTERIACEAE BREED. 



(Jour. Bact,., 50, 1945, 124.) 



Rods, small to medium in size, cells usually uniform in shape. No branching on 

 ordinary media, if at all. Gram-negative, rarely Gram -variable. Peritrichous or non- 

 motile. Growth on agar slants non-chromogenic to grayish-yellow, brownish-yellow 

 or yellow to orange. The pigment does not diffuse through the agar. Characterized 

 by lack of power or feeble powers of attacking carbohydrates. May form acid from 

 hexoses but no gas. May or may not reduce nitrates. May or may not liquefy gelatin. 

 Do not liquefy agar or attack cellulose, and are not phosphorescent. Litmus milk 

 may become faintly acid but not sufficiently acid to curdle. Usually the reaction 

 remains unchanged or becomes alkaline. Generally salt water, fresh water and soil 

 forms and, less commonly, parasites. Some plant pathogens may belong here. 



Key to the genera of familji Achromobacteriaceae. 



I. Non-chromogenic or at most little or no chromogenesis on agar or gelatin media. 



A. liitmus milk turned alkaline. No acid from carbohydrates. 



Genus I. Alcaligenes, p. 412. 



B. Litmus milk slightly acid (never curdled), unchanged or alkaline. Acid 



usually produced from hexose sugars. 



Genus II. Achromohacter, p. 417. 

 II. Produces yellow to orange chromogenesis. 



A. Litmus milk slightly acid (never curdled) unchanged or alkaline. Acid 

 usually produced from hexose sugars. 



Genus III. Flavobactcrinm, p. 427. 

 Genus I. Alcaligenes Castellani and Chalmers.* 



(Manual Trop. Med., 3rd ed., 1919, 9.3G.) From M.L., alkali and Latin genio, to 

 produce. 



Peritrichous to monotrichous, or non-motile rods. Gram-negative to Gram- 

 variable. Do not produce acid or gas from carbohydrates. May or may not liquefy 

 gelatin and solidified blood serum. Turn litmus milk alkaline and may or may not 

 peptonize it. Do not form acetylmethylcarbinol. Chromogenesis when it occurs is 

 grayish-yellow, brownish-yellow or yellow. Generally occur in the intestinal tract 

 of vertebrates or in dairy products. 



The type species is Alcaligenes J aecalis Castellani and Chalmers. 



* Revised by Prof. H. J. Conn, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, 

 New York, June, 1938; further revision by Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State 

 Experiment Station, Geneva, New York, June, 1945. 



