Growth Requirement of Staphylococci

Abstract

An activating substance[long dash]soluble in water, alcohol, and acetone, and precipitated by phosphotungstic acid and silver-barium[long dash]was found in meat extract. It could be concentrated to such a degree, that 1 mgm. was sufficient to activate adequately 50 liters of synthetic medium for a good growth of staphylococci. A similar substance was found in the cell contents of Bacillus coli-communior. With reference to their ability to synthesize such substances, and their needs for these or still other activator-like substances, the author suggests a possible classification of bacteria into 3 metabolic groups.