INHIBITION OF GROWTH OF AEROBACTER AEROGENES: THE MODE OF ACTION OF PHENOLS, ALCOHOLS, ACETONE, AND ETHYL ACETATE

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Phenols, alcohols, acetone and ethyl acetate inhibit growth of a strain of A. aerogenes in glucose ammonium salt medium by inducing a lag period. Filtrates from fully grown cultures of the same strain largely abolish lag due to phenol in this medium. Several amino acids at a concn. of 0.06 g./l, partially abolish lag due to the presence of any of the drugs investigated. In the case of lag due to phenol, ethanol, and propanol, only specific amino acids are able partially to reverse drug action; other amino acids actually increase the lag. Apparently the bacteriostatic action of the drugs studied is due to their ability to inhibit the production of metabolites essential for rapid cell division.