Eubacterium desmolans sp. nov., a Steroid Desmolase-Producing Species from Cat Fecal Flora

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Abstract
Eubacterium desmolans sp. nov., an obligate anaerobe with desmolytic activity, was isolated from cat feces. Desmolase, which was previously observed only in a Clostridium species isolated from human fecal flora, cleaves the carbon-carbon bond of 17-hydroxylated corticoids between C-17 and C-20, thereby converting these compounds to androstenes (C19 steroids). In primary cultures on sheep blood agar plates, E. desmolans forms nonhemolytic, circular to irregular, convex, shiny, entire, white to colorless colonies that are barely visible to the unaided eye. The cells are plump, short rods that are 0.8 to 1.1 μm wide by 1.7 to 2.3 μm long and have capsules and flagella. They occur singly or in short chains and are gram positive. Inositol is the sole carbohydrate fermented. Indole is produced. The major fermentation products in inositol-enriched media are acetic and butyric acids. The type strain is strain ATCC 43058.