NITROGEN-FIXING BACTERIA OF THE GENUS BEIJERINCKIA

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Abstract
Morphological characteristics, reserve substance formation, and ecological aspects of the distribution of Beijerinckia are discussed. Beijerinckia cells are single or bicellular due to cross wall formation in the middle of the longitudinal direction of the cell. This is a division stage and in growing cultures all intermediates between singular and bicellular forms can be found. Electron micrographs showed that the poly-β-butyrate globules at each end of the cell are enclosed by a membrane and that it is likely that this compound is secreted by the membrane system. Electron micrographs show also the capsule wall enclosing the cells in some Beijerinckia species. Although Beijerinckia has been found in soils outside the tropics and subtropics, its occurrence in temperate regions is in respect of numbers of cells per gram of soil and the frequency of Beijerinckia-positive soils negligible compared to its nearly ubiquitous occurrence in the tropics. Although the chemical environment of laterization of soil does not give the full explanation of this phenomenon, the chemical requirements of Beijerinckia point to a relation to the lateritic soil type. Morphological characteristics, reserve substance formation, and ecological aspects of the distribution of Beijerinckia are discussed. Beijerinckia cells are single or bicellular due to cross wall formation in the middle of the longitudinal direction of the cell. This is a division stage and in growing cultures all intermediates between singular and bicellular forms can be found. Electron micrographs showed that the poly-β-butyrate globules at each end of the cell are enclosed by a membrane and that it is likely that this compound is secreted by the membrane system. Electron micrographs show also the capsule wall enclosing the cells in some Beijerinckia species. Although Beijerinckia has been found in soils outside the tropics and subtropics, its occurrence in temperate regions is in respect of numbers of cells per gram of soil and the frequency of Beijerinckia-positive soils negligible compared to its nearly ubiquitous occurrence in the tropics. Although the chemical environment of laterization of soil does not give the full explanation of this phenomenon, the chemical requirements of Beijerinckia point to a relation to the lateritic soil type. © Williams & Wilkins 1974. All Rights Reserved.
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