ARTHROBACTER LUTEUS NOV. SP. ISOLATED FROM BREWERY SEWAGE

Abstract

A group of bacteria isolated from brewery sewage was studied taxonomically. They were gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, pleomorphic, branching, non-motile, non-sporulating, non-acid-fast, and catalase-positive rods (0.6-1.0×0.8-10.0μ). They formed cystites and showed bending-type cell division. They produced a yellow pigment and reduced nitrate, hydrolyzed starch, and liquefied gelatin. They produced acids from various carbohydrates.
These characteristics were compared with those of 18 strains of related microorganisms. The isolates seemed to belong to the genus Arthrobacter, but no corresponding species was found in the taxa appearing in Bergey's Manual (7th Ed.). The name Arthrobacter luteus was, therefore, newly proposed for these isolates.
While the new species was in accord with those of the genus Arthrobacter in basic characteristics, it also had similarities to some species of the genera Nocardia, Cellulomonas, Microbacterium, and Corynebacterium.
These observations suggested that the species occupied an intermediate position between the families Corynebacteriaceae and Actinomycetaceae.