Nutrition of Streptococcus bovis

Abstract

The nutritive requirements of certain strains of S. bovis have been detd. These organisms were found to be unique among the streptococci in the simplicity of these requirements. A majority of the strains tested have an absolute requirement for only one vitamin, biotin, whereas thiamine stimulates growth appreciably. Nicotinic acid and panto-thenic acid slightly stimulate the growth of most strains. However, to obtain maximum growth and serial transfer in a synthetic medium, it was necessary to add all 4 of these vitamins. No single amino acid is indispensable to the growth of S. bovis. Each strain tested, except one, could be sub-cultured in a medium containing arginine and glutamic acid as the only amino acids present. Na sulfide fulfills the sulfur requirements of this organism. No difference was found in the nutritive requirements of the bovine strains and the strains obtained from human cases of subacute bacterial endocarditis, though slight strain differences were detected in the cultures of each group.