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INHIBITION OF GROWTH OF STRAINS OF SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM BY MESO‐TARTRATE
Author(s) -
Alfredsson G. A.,
Old D. C.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica section b microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0365-5563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02180.x
Subject(s) - tartrate , chemistry , fermentation , glycerol , biochemistry , food science
When strains of Salmonella typhimurium unable to utilize meso ‐tartrate were grown for 24 hours in peptone water containing 0.1 or 1 per cent of meso ‐tartrate, measurements of the optical densities of the cultures were considerably less than those of cultures grown in peptone water without meso ‐tartrate. This reduction in the growth yield was observed not only when the meso ‐tartrate was present throughout the whole period of incubation, but also when the meso ‐tartrate was added to cultures in the log phase of growth, for there was then an immediate reduction in the rate of growth and a reduction in the final population of cells. These effects were observed whether growth was assessed turbidimetrically or by viable count. The effect of the meso ‐tartrate was not bactericidal, for washing of the inhibited cells and their transfer to fresh peptone water released them from the inhibited state. Some Krebs cycle intermediates, such as oxaloacetate, malate, fumarate or succinate, when added to peptone water cultures of meso ‐tartrate‐non‐fermenting strains stimulated their growth and when added together with the meso ‐tartrate prevented the meso ‐tartrate from exerting its growth inhibitory effect. Other Krebs intermediates, such as citrate, although growth stimulatory, had only a limited effect in releasing cells from the growth inhibition by meso ‐tartrate. Inhibition was also observed in defined salts media in which the presence of meso ‐tartrate prevented S. typhimurium strains from meso ‐tartrate‐negative biotypes from using glycerol or citrate as sole carbon source.