Growth of Mycobacterium rhodochrous on n‐Decane: a New Growth Factor and Emulsifying Agent

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Abstract
Summary: During the study of the growth of Mycobacterium rhodochrous NCIB 9905 in a minimal medium with n‐decane as the sole carbon source, a growth factor and a hydrocarbon emulsifying factor were discovered. The factors were heat stable, were released from cells by autolysis or by physical disruption and functioned independently of one another. Inoculations of < 107 cells/ml of culture medium routinely failed to grow unless an autoclaved cell suspension or purified extract was added. This growth factor requirement was not satisfied by exogenous trace metals, vitamins, amino acids, intermediates of decane metabolism or Mycobactin, but was satisfied by an extract from cells of an unrelated species growing on n‐decane. The extract of strain 9905 did not satisfy the sideramine requirement of Arthrobacter JG9 and was not associated with ferric ions. Some evidence was obtained suggesting that the growth factor may be of a new type involving the chelation of calcium ions.