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Inhibition of Swarming in Proteus spp. by Tannic Acid
Author(s) -
SMITH D. G.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1975.tb00496.x
Subject(s) - tannic acid , swarming (honey bee) , proteus , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , proteus vulgaris , biology , proteus mirabilis , micrococcus , staphylococcus , biochemistry , chemistry , staphylococcus aureus , escherichia coli , botany , gene , genetics
Swarming in all 27 strains of Proteus spp. tested was inhibited by the presence of 0.02% (w/v) tannic acid in the nutrient medium. Cells from colonies on this medium were nearly all short forms but were motile and piliated. The swarm‐inhibition effect was not reversed by the addition of calcium chloride. The growth of other bacterial species was inhibited to varying extents by tannic acid: Gram positive cocci ( Micrococcus, Sarcina , and Staphylococcus spp.) were particularly sensitive. The relative resistance of Gram negative bacteria and the swarm‐inhibition of Proteus spp. could be due to binding of tannic acid to proteins in the outer membrane of the cell wall.