THE NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF ACETOBACTER MELANOGENUM AND RELATED SPECIES

Abstract

The nutritional requirements of 6 cultures of A. melanogenum and one culture each of A. oxydans and A. rancens were investigated. All cultures of the 3 spp. were found to require pantothenic acid, p-aminobenzoic acid, and nicotinic acid. The cultures of A. melanogenum and A. rancens were found to have an additional requirement for thiamin. Although the cultures of A. melanogenum did not require amino acids, valine, isoleucine, alanine, cystine, histidine, and proline were required by both A. oxydans and A. rancens. In addition A. rancens needed either glutamic or aspartic acid for best growth. The cultures of all 3 spp. also were able to utilize ammonium salts as a source of N when the inorganic N was supplied in the presence of other required compounds.