THE EFFECT OF CARBON DIOXIDE ON POLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION BY STREPTOCOCCUS BOVIS

Abstract

Polysaccharide production by streptococci from sucrose or raffinose has generally been examined by one of two methods-streak or pour plates containing carbohydrate and incubated under air or broth cultures containing the carbohydrate. In the former method polysaccharide production is accompanied by the development of large, confluent moist colonies, usually slimy in appearance. With the latter method, polysaccharide formation is accompanied by an increased viscosity of the broth, sometimes to the point of solidification. Niven et al. (1941a) and Sherman et al. (1943) showed that all cultures of Streptococcus salivarius in their collection produced a polysaccharide on agar and in broth media. Of a considerable nuimber of other streptococci representative of Lancefield's Groups A through H, and members of Sherman's lactic, enterococcus and viridans divisions, only 1 culture of a collection of 54 strains of Streptococcwu bovis showed typical slime production on sucrose agar. Niven et al. (1941b) identified this material as a dextran. In a later publication, Niven et al. (1946) showed polysaccharide production both on agar and in broth by 7 additional strains of S. bovis, and to a lesser extent by Streptococcus s.b.e. (Streptococcus

Transglucosidase activity of rumen strains of Streptococcus bovis. 2. Isolation and properties of dextransuerase

“…In these organisms, however, the enzyme responsible for dextran synthesis does not appear to have been isolated or examined. Recently it was shown that various strains of Streptococcus bovis produce dextran in sucrose cultures only in the presence of added carbon dioxide (Dain, Neal & Seely, 1956;Bailey & Oxford, 1958a, b). In Leuconostoc species, however, dextran production appears to be independent of added carbon dioxide (Bailey & Oxford, 1958a).…”

Interactions of Escherichia coli and Streptococcus bovis with soil clay surfaces as revealed by scanning electron microscopy

“…This difference in adsorption characteristics between E. coliand S. bovis was thought to be related to the relative ability of the organisms to effect cell-to-clay surface bridging by means of the extracellular polymers produced. That E. coli and S. bovis are capable of excreting polysaccharides in culture media has been reported by many workers (Niven and White, 1948;Dain et al, 1956;Sutherlandand Wilkinson, 1964;Knoxand Work, 1966). However, whether or not these organisms can do likewise in soil has not, to our knowledge, been previously shown.…”

A Controlled Environment System for Study of Mammalian Cell Physiology*

“…37 No other single factor appears as important as COz in controlling the production of polysaccharides by Strepto-COCCUS bovis. 38 Additionally, it appears that growth and slime or spore formation by microbial species may be stimulated or repressed by C02. 39 Specifically, in mammalian cell cultures, it has been observed that high levels of C 0 2 may inhibit the movement of mitochondria in chick fibrobla~ts,~O yet in its absence chick blastoderm degenerate^,^^ and HeLa, L-929, and primary monkey kidney cell growth appear inhibited.4P It has been reported that complete inhibition of outgrowth of rat kidney, rat fibroblast and Jensen sarcoma explants occurred when the partial pressure of C02 exceeded 400 mm.…”