The taxonomic status of Sporosarcina ureae (Beijerinck) Orla-Jensen

Abstract

SUMMARY. A s t u d y o f t h e t a x o n o m i c s t a t u s of9 s t r a i n s d e s i g n a t e d a s S a r c i n a u r e a e .

Biology of the sugar-fermenting Sarcinae.

“…Furthermore, the guanine + cytosine (GC) content in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of S. ureae differs greatly from that of aerobic, nonsporeforming sarcinae (Table 2). These findings, as well as other morphological and physiological considerations, convinced numerous investigators that S. ureae should be removed from the genus Sarcina and placed in a separate genus (15,51,58) named Sporosarcina, as previously proposed by Orla-Jensen (67) and Kluyver and van Niel (46). Some authors believe that, because of biochemical and morphological similarities with species of Bacillus, the genus Sporosarcina should be included in the family Bacillaceae (51, 58).…”

“…Much attention has been focused on the taxonomic status of the flagellated, sporeforming S. ureae. It was found that this bacterium forms true endospores, inasmuch as they are heat resistant (10,33,51,58), contain dipicolinic acid (85), and are ultrastructurally similar to spores of Bacillus species (62). Furthermore, the guanine + cytosine (GC) content in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of S. ureae differs greatly from that of aerobic, nonsporeforming sarcinae (Table 2).…”

Surface arrays on the wall of Sporosarcina ureae

“…Sporosarcina ureae is a novel gram-positive bacterium whose guanosine plus cytosine content (43%), its ability to form endospores, and its characteristic packets of eight cells have relegated its taxonomic placement to the family Bacillaceae under a separate genus, Sporosarcina, with only the one known species (14,22). These bacteria enjoy a high pH (pH 8.8 is optimal) and will sporulate at a pH of <6.8 (14,22,24).…”

Electron Microscopy of Ultrathin Sections of Sporosarcina ureae

“…On the basis of a detailed taxonomic study of a number of strains of Sporosarcina ureae, Kocur and Martinec (1963) suggested that the genus Sporosarcina, previously included in the genus Sarcina as the species S. ureae (Bergey's M1anual, 7th ed. ), should be transferred to the family Bacillaceae.…”

“…Our task in the present investigation has, therefore, been to give a description of the submicroscopic structure of the cells and spores of S. ureae as it appears in ultrathin sections, and to present, if possible, some morphological evidence of the relationship of S. ureae to the Bacillaceae. MATERIALS AND METHODS S. ureae strain CCM 860, proposed by Kocur and Martinec (1963) as the type culture, was maintained on nutrient agar at 4 C. Spore formation was investigated in a sporulation medium recommended by MacDonald and MacDonald (1962), which has the following composition (g per liter): yeast extract, 2; peptone, 3; glucose, 4; malt extract, 3; K2HPO4, 1; (NH4)2SO4 , 4; CaCl2, 0.1; MgSO4, 0.8; MnSO4 , 0.1; FeSO4-7H20, 0.001; ZnSO4 , 0.01; CuSO4 5H20, 0.01; and agar, 30; the pH was 8.0.…”