Nutritional requirements of anaerobic coryneforms

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Abstract
The nutritional requirements of 3 spp. of anaerobic coryneforms and their serotypes (Propionibacterium acnes types I and II, P. avidum types I and II and P. granulosum) were determined. Strains of P. avidum would consistently grow to a transmittance of 1-3% at 560 nm in a basal salts medium supplemented with glucose, pantothenate, biotin, thiamine and 12 amino acids (alanine, arginine, cysteine, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, serine, tyrosine and tryptophan). Strains of P. acnes and P. granulosum failed to grow in this medium unless 6 additional amino acids were present (asparagine, leucine, lysine, proline, threonine and valine). All 3 spp. grew equally well whether the 18 amino acids were supplied in the form of a casein hydrolysate supplemented with tryptophan or were added separately. Nicotinamide enhanced growth of P. acnes but had no effect on growth of P. avidum and P. granulosum. Other nutrients which were not absolute requirements, but which significantly improved growth of these species, included the purines guanine and/or adenine. Twenn 80, which served as a source of oleic acid, sodium L-lactate, .alpha.-ketoglutarate and pyruvate. Strains (86) comprising all 5 groups grew well in the defined medium, except 4 strains of P. acnes type II (29 tested), which failed to grow unless heme and vitamin K were added to the medium. One strain of P. granulosum (22 tested) failed to grow in any defined medium, suggesting an additional growth factor requirement.