It has been shown in a previous paper (Vagn Meller 1954 a ) that the distribution of the decarboxylases of lysine, arginine, ornithine, and glutamic acid differs for the analysed groups of Enterobacteriaceae, the distribution generally characterizing the individual group. The decarboxylases were determined by a manometric technique, but relatively few strains were analyzed, because the method is too lengthy.
Gale et al. had previmsly determined the decarboxylases mano-metrically, as mentioned by Meller ( 1954 a ) . In addition, the presence 18'
In a preceding paper by Meller (1) an account was given of the manometric determination of decarboxylases of lysine, arginine, ornithine an'd glutamic acid. In a subsequent work, Meller ( 2 ) reported his experiences with representatives of the most frequent groups of Enterobacteriaceae and various intermediate cultures. He examined a total of 671 cultures that were grown in tryptic digest of casein. Determination of the decarboxylases was performed by employment of a simplified method, in which the washed bacterial suspensions were shaken with toluene, and then the changes in pH after incubation of the mixtures of bacteria, amino acids and buffer were determined by means of indicator.In a following work-entitled "Simplified tests for some amino acid decarboxylases and for the arginine dihydrolase system"-Meller ( 3 ) showed that the anaerobic decomposition of amino acid by bacteria can be demonstrated in the following simple way: The bacteria are grown in nutritionally adequate media to which amino acids and indicator are added, and which are covered with a layer of paraffin oil. For particular details the reader is referred to the above-mentioned paper. By means of this method M d e r obtained specific reactions for decarboxylases of lysine, ornithine and glutamic acid. On determination of arginine decarboxylases a reaction was obtained that was brought about either by arginine decarboxylases or by the arginine dihydrolase system (arginine desimidase and citrulline ureidase), or by both.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.