Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Cytochrome as a Guide to Classifying Bacteria: Taxonomy of Microbacterium thermosphactum

Nature volume 220, pages 502–504 (1968)Cite this article

Abstract

McLean and Sulzbacher1 proposed the name Microbacterium thermosphactum for a Gram-positive, catalase-positive organism that they isolated from pork sausages. At that time the genus Microbacterium was located in the family Lactobacteriaceae but was later transferred to the Corynebacteriaceae2. Deibel and Evans3, who attached considerable taxonomic importance to the benzidine reaction, stated that while M. flavum and M. lacticum are benzidine-positive, M. thermosphactum is benzidine-negative and therefore more closely related to the lactic acid bacteria. Other authors have drawn attention to the uncertain taxonomy of M. thermosphactum4. The active biocatalysts for the benzidine reaction are haemo-proteins and the reaction is used as a test for cytochrome in bacteria3. We have therefore examined M. thermosphactum for cytochrome and studied the cyanide-sensitivity of the NADH oxidase present in crude cell free extracts.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McLean, R. A., and Sulzbacher, W. L., J. Bact., 65, 428 (1953).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology (edit. by Breed, R. A., Murray, E. G. D., and Smith, N. R,.), seventh ed. (Baillière, Tyndall and Cox, London, 1957).

  3. Deibel, R. H., and Evans, J. B., J. Bact., 79, 356 (1960).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Barlow, J., and Kitchell, A. G., J. Appl. Bact., 29, 185 (1966); Gardner, G. A., Carson, A. W., and Patton, J., J. Appl. Bact., 30, 321 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Enzyme Nomenclature (International Union of Biochemistry; Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1965).

  6. Keilin, D., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 98, 312 (1925); Ergeb. Enzymforsch., 2, 239 (1933).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Yamagutchi, S., Acta Phytochim. (Tokyo), 8, 157 (1934).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Fujita, A., and Kodama, T., Biochem. Z., 273, 186 (1934).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Smith, L., Bacteriological Rev., 18, 106 (1954); in The Bacteria (edit. by Gunsalus, I. C., and Stanier, R. Y.), 2, 365 (Academic Press, New York, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Keilin, D., The History of Cell Respiration and Cytochrome, Ch. XII (Cambridge University Press 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dolin, M. I., in The Bacteria (edit. by Gunsalus, I. C., and Stanier, R. Y.), 2, 425 (Academic Press, New York, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Campbell, L. L., and Postgate, J. R., Bact. Rev., 29, 359 (1965).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chaix, P., and Roncoli, C., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 6, 268 (1950); J. Physiol. (Paris), 42, 566 (1950).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pappenheimer, A. M., and Hendee, E. D., J. Biol. Chem., 171, 701 (1947); 180, 597 (1949).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Rawlinson, W. A., and Hale, J. H., Biochem. J., 45, 247 (1949).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Pappenheimer, A. M., Howland, J. L., and Miller, P. A., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 64, 229 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ephrussi, B., Harvey Lectures, series 46, 45 (1950–51).

  18. Weber, W. W., Brodie, A. F., and Merselis, J. E., Science, 128, 896 (1958).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Evans, J. B., and Niven, C. F., J. Bact., 62, 599 (1951).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Slater, E. C., Biochem. J., 46, 484 (1950).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Smith, G. F., McCurdy, W. H., and Diehl, H., Analyst, 77, 418 (1952).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Keilin, D., and Hartree, E. F., Nature, 164, 254 (1949); Nature, 165, 504 (1950); Hartree, E. F., in Modern Methods of Plant Analysis (edit. by Paech, K., and Tracey, M. V.), 4, 197 (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1955).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Keilin, D., and Hartree, E. F., Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 127, 167 (1939).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Moss, F., Austral. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci., 34, 395 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Wilson, D. F., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 121, 757 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Tissières, A., Biochem. J., 64, 582 (1956).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Whittenbury, R., J. Gen. Microbiol., 35, 13 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Davidson, C. M., Mobbs, P., and Stubbs, J. M., J. Appl. Bact. (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unilever Research Laboratory, Colworth House, Sharnbrook, Bedford

    C. M. DAVIDSON

  2. ARC Unit of Reproductive Physiology and Biochemistry, 307 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge

    E. F. HARTREE

Authors
  1. C. M. DAVIDSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. F. HARTREE
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DAVIDSON, C., HARTREE, E. Cytochrome as a Guide to Classifying Bacteria: Taxonomy of Microbacterium thermosphactum. Nature 220, 502–504 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/220502a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/220502a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing