THE FERMENTATION OF GLYCURONIC ACID BY CERTAIN BACTERIA

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Abstract
Members of the colon-typhoid-dysentery group are able to utilize glycuronic acid as a source of energy. Four strains of Staphylococcus aureus did not, in the presence of this substance, increase the pH to any appreciable degree, while a single strain of Staph. albus produced acid, as evidenced by change of pH from 7.2 to 6.2. Before this substance can be used for separative purposes, however, a greater number of representatives of various bacterial species must be tested. Most of the anaerobic spore-bearers which ferment glucose are also able to ferment glycuronic acid, but less energetically. In this group, also, a few members which do not ferment glucose, as evidenced by a change in pH, feebly utilize glycuronic acid. These are Bacillus tetani (Pasteur strain), B. putrificus (Meyers strain) and B. histolyticus (Barber-Weinberg strain).