TAXONOMIC EVALUATION OF NITRATE RESPIRATION AND CARBOHYDRATE FERMENTATION IN AEROBIC BACTERIA

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The distribution of abilities of nitrate respiration and mode of cleavage of carbohydrates (oxidative or fermentative) were examined on the aerobic bacteria. The ability of nitrate respiration was only found in Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia, Aerobacter, Erwinia, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, etc., and was not found in the Gram-positive bacteria tested. The ability of fermentative cleavage of carbohydrates was widely distributed in aerobic bacteria, especially in Enterobacteriaceae. Meanwhile, Pseudomonas produced acid only oxidatively from glucose. As the members of Enterobacteriaceae were equipped with both the abilities of nitrate respiration and fermentative cleavage of carbohydrates, those of this family could be easily distinguished from the members of other families by testing both the abilities. The interrelation among the aerobic bacteria was discussed on the basis of the ability of nitrate respiration and the mode of cleavage of carbohydrates.