Characteristics of Tartrate-fermenting Species of Clostridium

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Abstract
The characteristics of 23 D-tartrate-fermenting butyric anaerobes isolated from spoiled tartrates, tartrate recovery equipment, and vineyard soils are given. All but 2 isolates were tentatively identified as representing previously described sp. closely related to or identical with C. butyricum. The major end products of D-tartrate fermentation by representative cultures included acetic acid, butyric acid, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen. The molar ratio of acetic acid to butyric acid formed was approx. 10:1. Small amts. of ethyl alcohol and pyruvic acid were formed. The enzymes involved in the decomposition of D-tartrate were shown to be adaptive in character. Attempts to adapt other cultures of the common saccharolytic sp. of Clostridium to the utilization of D-tartrate were unsuccessful. The ability to ferment D-tartrate is not general among the representatives of the genus Clostridium. With the exception of L-malic acid, 4-carbon dicarboxylic acids other than D-tartaric were not readily attacked by the bacteria under the conditions of the expts.