The intestinal flora of colonization-resistant mice

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Abstract
SUMMARY: To facilitate the isolation of anaerobes from cultures in which swarming organisms were present Roux flasks were adapted to provide anaerobic conditions. Using these flasks, five species of anaerobes were isolated from the caecum of mice resistant to colonization withEscherichia coliand other Gram-negative organisms. These species accounted for the majority of organisms seen in films of caecal material. No aerobes were isolated and the flora of these mice apparently consisted of a limited number of anaerobes representing part of the intestinal flora of conventional mice. Three of the species were clostridia and another was identified asPropionibacterium acnes. One species resembledCatenabacteriumbut was not identified. One of theClostridiumspecies could only be isolated when the medium was supplemented with yeast extract and vitamins. This species sporulated on media with ammonium phosphate as the source of nitrogen; tryptone completely suppressed sporulation.