NUTRITION OF LEPTOSPIRA POMONA

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The function of rabbit serum in the nutrition of L. pomona (Wickard) was investigated by dividing whole rabbit serum into several fractions and testing each fraction and combinations of the fractions for their growth-supporting capacity in phosphate buffer. Rabbit serum was divided into 3 fractions - albumin, globulin, and whole serum ultrafiltrate. When these fractions were tested separately the albumin fraction was the only one of the 3 fractions which could support fair growth of L. pomona. All 3 fractions were required to yield good growth. The albumin fraction was found to be heat-labile (121 C, 20 min) whereas the globulin and ultrafiltrate fractions were heat-stabile. These 2 fractions maintained their activity after either autoclaving or evaporating to dryness but their activity was destroyed upon ashing. The albumin fraction was successfully replaced with either the weakly basic resin, Amberlite IR-45, or soluble starch. The globulin fraction appears to function primarily as a source of lipid material. Extraction of the crude phos-pholipid material from the globulin fraction decreases its growth-supporting activity. This lost activity was restored when the extracted material was added to the extracted globulin. Crude egg-yolk phospho-lipid replaced the globulin fraction of rabbit serum. L. pomona has been carried through serial transfers in the rabbit albumin, autoclaved globulin and serum ultrafiltrate medium and also in the medium containing soluble starch, rabbit serum globulin, ultrafiltrate and red cell lysate. In the latter medium all components were autoclaved except the red cell lysate.