Comments concerning the taxonomy of the genera Micrococcus and Staphylococcus

Abstract

The Editorial Board of this Bulletin (1 954) has s u m m a rized concisely the c u r r e n t status of the generic names Micrococcus and Staphylococcus, and has asked f o r comments and suggestions.The first auestion r a i s e d is whether Microcbccus luteus (Schroeter) C o b is a recognizable species. Breed [m) has reviewed the l i t e r a t u r e and indicates that this species should be defined a s non-liquefying, non-nitrate reducing, yellow-pigmented coccus capable of utilizing ammoniacal nitrogen as a sole source of nitrogen. He a l s o suggests that ATCC culture 398 would make a satisfactory type culture. Gibson (1953) r e j e c t s the validity of this species because the suggested type s t r a i n does not grow in an ammonium t a r t r a t e -salts medium .We have studied recently ATCC culture 398, in addition to a collection of named s t r a i n s of micrococci, kindly supplied by Dr. Breed. In confirmation with Dr. Gibson's claim, s t r a i n 398 failed to grow i n Cohn's ammonium t a rt r a t e medium o r on Hucker's ammonium phosphate-glucose medium. Nine of the s t r a i n s in the collection w e r e reported to have grown in such media when first isolated, but at the p r e s e n t time only 2 of these 9 s t r a i n s retained this characteristic.F u r t h e r investigation revealed that the cultures failed to grow because of their inability to utilize t a r t r a t e or glucose a s an energy source. Our present knowledge of the nutrition of these organisms a l s o indicates that these t e s t s a r e dependent upon carrying over the required vitamins i n the inoculum. Therefore, we consider such t e s t s for a mmonia utilization inapplicable to this group of organisms. Journal paper No. 113, American Meat I n s t i t u t e Foundat ion.

Clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from neonates

“…Após a confirmação dessas características, as linhagens foram submetidas às provas de catalase e coagulase. O gênero Staphylococcus foi diferenciado de Micrococcus, com base na prova de oxidação e fermentação da glicose 16 e pela resistência à bacitracina (0,04 U), indicada pela ausência de halo de inibição, ou formação de halo de até 9 mm, e pela sensibilidade à furazolidona (100 µg), caracterizada por halos de inibição de 15 a 35 mm de diâmetro 17 .…”

Transformation of Micrococcus lysodeikticus by Various Members of the Family Micrococcaceae

“…Bohacek, Kocur & Martinec, 1967;Jeffries et al, 1968;Rosypal et al 1966). Transformation was not expected by strains of Staphylococcus aureus or St. epidermidis either, as members of the genus Staphylococcus as recommended by Evans et al (1955) are facultative anaerobes and differ in numerous characteristics, including a very low GC ratio (32 to 35%) (Auletta & Kennedy, 1966;Baird-Parker, 1965 …”

“…One significant step toward classification was made when Evans, Bradford & Niven (1955) proposed including this organism in the genus Micrococcus and separating it from the staphylococci on the basis of its relation to oxygen (obligate aerobe) in a standardized complex medium containing glucose. As a result of numerous physiological and biochemical studies, Kocur & Martinec (1962, 1963 and Rosypal & Kocur (1963) (Kocur & Martinec, 1962;1963 1 ade = Adenine requirement (growth stimulated by adenine, adenosine, inosine, or hypoxanthine) ; ade+ = adenine-independent mutant, notation followed by arabic numeral to indicate order of isolation, e.g.…”

The Classification of Coagulase-Negative Micrococcaceae from Human and Animal Sources

“…Evans, Bradford and Niven (1955) based the division on the mode of glucose metabolism. Staphylococci produced acid fermentatively under anaerobic conditions, whereas micrococci either produced acid oxidatively under aerobic conditions or failed to attack glucose.…”