Premium
Isolation and properties of psychrotrophic and psychrophilic, pectolytic strains of Clostridium
Author(s) -
Brocklehurst T.F.,
Lund Barbara M.
Publication year - 1982
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.1365-2672.1982.tb01283.x
Subject(s) - psychrophile , pectate lyase , clostridia , strain (injury) , mesophile , spore , microbiology and biotechnology , clostridium , bacteria , biology , psychrotrophic bacteria , lecithinase , clostridiaceae , extremophile , isolation (microbiology) , clostridium botulinum , enzyme , thermophile , pectinase , biochemistry , genetics , anatomy , toxin
Fourteen strains of pectolytic clostridia have been isolated that were capable of growth at 5–10°C in 7 d; two strains were psychrophiles and failed to grow at 20°C in 14 d and the remainder were psychrotrophs. The bacteria formed pectate lyase enzymes and were capable of degrading potato tissue; they are therefore a potential cause of soft rot of potatoes stored at low temperatures. Doubling times for representative strains were 15–19 h at 10°C and 21–53 h at 5°C. Twelve strains were classified with Group I Clostridium species and two strains with Group II. In the case of one strain the mature spores were not released from the sporangium. Electron microscopy of ultrathin sections of this strain showed the presence of disorganized lamellar structures associated with the spore coat.