The morphology, the general physiological characteristics, and the energy-yielding metabolism of an obligately anaerobic spirochete isolated from the colon of a swine were studied. Electron microscopy showed that the helical spirochetal cells possessed an outer sheath, a protoplasmic cylinder, and 4 periplasmic fibrils in a 2-4-2 arrangement. The spirochete grew in an atmosphere of N2 in prereduced media containing a carbohydrate, NaHCO3, rumen fluid, yeast extract, peptone, L-cysteine, and inorganic salts. The spirochete fermented carbohydrates and required substrate amounts of CO2 (HCO3-) for growth. Amino acids were not fermented. Major fermentation products of cells growing with glucose as the substrate and in the presence of CO2 were acetate, formate, succinate, and lactate. Small amounts of 2,3-butanediol, pyruvate, and acetoin were also formed. Determinations of enzymatic activities in cell extracts, and of radioactivity in products formed by growing cells from [1-14C]glucose, indicated that this sugar was dissimilated to pyruvate via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway. The spirochetes used a coliform-type clastic reaction to metabolize pyruvate. Determinations of radioactivity in products formed from [14C]NaHCO3 indicated that CO2 was assimilated and used in succinate production. The guainine + cytosine content of the DNA was 36 mol %. This study indicates that this intestinal spirochete represents a new species of Treponema. It is proposed that the new species be named Treponema succinifaciens.
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.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.