Nord Vet Med, 1978 Apr-May, 30(4-5), 223 - 30 A study of skin diseases in dogs and cats . III . III . Microflora of the skin of dogs with chronic eczema; Kristensen S et al.; The microflora of the skin was studied in 10 dogs with chronic eczema without clinical signs of secondary infection (Table I) . The skin surface was swabbed at 7 different sites, making a total of 70 swabs, 25 of which were taken from visibly inflamed areas and 45 from apparently unaffected skin (Table II) . Staph . aureus, Staph . epidermidis, micrococci, alpha-hemolytic streptococci, and Acinetobacter spp . were found consistently . Ten different Gram-negative bacteria, 3 different Gram-positive bacteria, and 2 yeasts were found to occur sporadically (Table III) . Compared to a group of 10 healthy dogs a more prolific growth of aerobic microorganisms, a greater number of sites carrying Staph . aureus, and a higher recovery of Gram-negative transients were found in dogs with eczema (Table IV--VII) . Within the group of dogs with eczema the growth of Staph . aureus was significantly heavier from eczematous skin areas than from clinically normal skin (Table VIII) . In dogs with non-infective dermatitides the colonization of the skin by potentially pathogenic microorganisms may have to be considered in the clinical handling of these diseases. Jpn J Antibiot, 1978 Apr, 31(4), 191 - 9 {Clinical and bacteriological studies on infections due to Acinetobacter calco aceticus (author's transl)}; Igari J et al.; The present studies concern with clinical backgrounds of the patients from whom Ac . calcoaceticus was isolated at the Juntendo University Hospital from Oct . 1976 until May 1977, and in-vitro observations on the susceptibility to antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents of the organisms isolated from various clinical specimens from Sept . 1976 to May 1977 . One hundred and eight strains of Ac . calcoaceticus were isolated from various clinical specimens of 78 patients . Approximately 70% of them was isolated from respiratory tract, and 6 approximately 8% from urinary tract, wound or bile . Ninety six of 108 strains were isolated in combination with other organisms . In retrospective view of 35 patients, all of them had one or more underlying diseases or predisposing factors, e.g., chronic disease, malignancy, infection due to other organism, surgery . Antibiotics had been administrated to 26 patients before onset of their infection with Ac . calcoaceticus . According to in-vitro susceptibility testing, the most active antimicrobial agents were minocyline and doxycycline . Gentamicin, tetracycline, kanamycin, amikacin, dibekacin, colistin, erythromycin, naladixic acid were given in this order . Most strains were resistant to ampicillin, sulbenicillin, cephaloridine, cefazokin, chloramphenicol, lincomycin, clindamycin, pipemidic acid and piperamic acid. Am J Epidemiol, 1978 Apr, 107(4), 328 - 35 Acinetobacter calcoaceticus outbreak associated with peritoneal dialysis; Abrutyn E et al.; Investigation of an outbreak of contamination of dialysis drainage fluid with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratus identified a previously unrecognized source for dialysis associated infections . Over a 4-month period, 25 peritoneal dialysis treatments were administered to 13 hospital patients . Of the 25 treatments for which culture results were available, 14 were associated with dialysis drainage fluid cultures positive for A . calcoaceticus . A water bath used to warm bottles of peritoneal dialysate before use was the reservoir for the bacteria, and investigation showed in vitro that bath water could contaminate the dialysate . It appears likely that the dialysate became contaminated when the prong of the fluid administration set was inserted through the rubber bung on the dialysate bottles . This outbreak illustrates the potential importance of environmental reservoirs in infections complicating peritoneal dialysis. J Bacteriol, 1978 Mar, 133(3), 1530 - 2 Identification and synthesis of acyl-phosphatidylglycerol in Acinetobacter sp . HO1-N; Makula RA et al.; A minor phospholipid from Acinetobacter sp . HO1-N was identified as acyl-phosphatidylglycerol . Acyl-phosphatidylglycerol synthesis by outer-membrane preparations appeared to be a result of phospholipase A activity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1978 Mar, 13(3), 358 - 67 Piperacillin, a new penicillin active against many bacteria resistant to other penicillins; Fu KP et al.; The in vitro activity of piperacillin, a new semisynthetic piperazine penicillin derivative, was evaluated against 626 clinical isolates and compared with the activity of other beta-lactam antibiotics . At a concentration of 0.1 microgram/ml, piperacillin inhibited all streptococci except enterococci . Non-beta-lactamase-producing staphylococci were inhibited by 1.6 microgram or less per ml . Both beta-lactamase- and non-beta-lactamase-producing Haemophilus were inhibited by 0.1 microgram/ml . Piperacillin inhibited non-beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Shigella at a concentration of 6.3 micrograms/ml, but 20% of strains of these species containing type III beta-lactamase were not inhibited by 100 micrograms/ml . Piperacillin at 25 micrograms/ml, inhibited 83% of Citrobacter, 58% of Klebsiella, 88% of Enterobacter, and 50% of indole-positive Proteus, Acinetobacter, and Providencia . At 25 micrograms/ml, piperacillin inhibited 95% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 78% of Bacteroides fragilis . The minimal inhibitory concentration of piperacillin against Pseudomonas was affected by increasing the inoculum size and by pH . Minimum bactericidal concentrations against Pseudomonas and Serratia often were eightfold greater than the minimum inhibitory concentrations . Piperacillin was equal in activity to ampicillin against enterococci . It was more active than carbenicillin against E . coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Bacteroides . It was the most active penicillin against Pseudomonas and inhibited many strains of Pseudomonas for which the MICs of carbenicillin were above 200 micrograms/ml . Piperacillin was hydrolyzed by many different beta-lactamases . Synergistic activity of piperacillin was demonstrated when it was combined with amikacin, gentamicin, and cefazolin against P . aeruginosa and members of the Enterobacteriaceae . No antagonism was observed when piperacillin was combined with aminoglycosides; however, antagonism was observed rarely against E . coli when piperacillin was combined with cefazolin. Biochemistry, 1978 Feb 7, 17(3), 411 - 7 Amino acid sequence of the diazooxonorleucine binding site of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas 7A glutaminase--asparaginase enzymes; Holcenberg JS et al.; Acinetobactor glutaminase-asparaginase was treated with {6-14C}diazo-5-oxonorleucine, reduced with sodium borohydride, and cleaved with cyanogen bromide . Radioactivity was present only in a 96-residue-N-terminal peptide which eluted as the second peptide peak on Sephadex G-50 . Radioactivity was released with the threonine in position 12 during automatic sequencing of this peptide . The amino acid sequence of a 60-residue tn-terminal segment and a 16-residue C-terminal segment of this peptide was determined . Pseudomonas 7 A glutaminase-asparaginase was treated with {6-14C}diazo-5-oxonorleucine and reduced with sodium borohydride . Radioactivity was released with the threonine in residue 20 during automatic sequencing of the whole enzyme . Analysis of 26 N-terminal residues showed that an 8-residue segment containing the radioactive threonine was identical with that in Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase and in Escherichia coli asparaginase . Additional identical residues were noted in the N-terminal regions of these enzymes. Arch Fr Pediatr, 1978 Feb, 35(2), 130 - 43 {Bronchial brushing in severe lung diseases in children}; Besson-Leaud M et al.; A distal bronchial brushing was performed in 25 children having severe lung diseases . The age of the patients ranged from 7 days to 14 years . Seventeen children were immuno-depressed . Bacteria were isolated five times (2 Staphylococcus aureus, 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 1 Serratia marcenscens, 1 Acinetobacter lwoffi), viruses twice (cytomegalovirus, syncytial respiratory virus), Pneumocystis carinii, four times . Cytologic study revealed malignant cells, and cells with intranuclear inclusions, evoking a viral infection . This procedure appears to be harmless in children over 2 years of age . In younger children there is a risk of pneumothorax . the principal indication for distal bronchial brushing is lung disease in immuno-depressed children . It may, however, also be useful in prolonged, treatment-resistant, severe lung diseases. J Gen Microbiol, 1978 Feb, 104(2), 175 - 80 Chromosome mapping in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Towner KJ; RP4-mediated conjugation was used to map the loci of 23 different mutations on a circular linkage group in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus EBF65/65 . The resulting genetic map indicated that the chromosomal organization of A . calcoaceticus differed from that of members of the enteric group of bacteria and was similar to Pseudomonas in showing an absence of clustering of functionally related genes. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1978 Feb 1, 172(3), 357 - 9 Equine myositis and septicemia caused by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus infection; Dickie CW et al.; Myositis and septicemia caused by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were diagnosed in a mare . The infection was characterized clinically by ventral swelling and edema, diarrhea, listlessness, and rectal temperature of 39.4 C . The mare was treated symptomatically for 2 days but died on the 3rd day . Conditions seen at necropsy were myositis, enteritis, typhlitis, colitis, and hepatitis . Lymph nodes were moderately enlarged throughout the body . Gross lesions in musculature were edema, scarring, petechiae, and an occasional exxhymosis . The enteritis was catarrhal, with excessive mucus and moderate hyperemia . The typhlitis and colitis were hemorrhagic . The swollen liver had a diffuse mottled pale and red pattern . Microscopic lesions in skeletal muscle consisted of petechiation, necrosis, scarring, and edema . Cardiac muscle was also scarred and necrotic, but edema was not prominent . Periacinal necrosis was found in the liver . Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was isolated from myocardium and liver. Can J Microbiol, 1978 Feb, 24(2), 124 - 8 The lipopolysaccharide (R type) as a common antigen of Neisseria gonorrhoeae . II . Use of hen antiserum to gonococcal lipopolysaccharide in a rapid slide test for the identification of N . gonorrhoeae from primary isolates and secondary cultures; Wallace R et al.; An antiserum has been prepared in hens to R-type gonococcal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and used in a simple slide-agglutination test for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae . Anti-LPS serum agglutinated gonococcal cells representative of the four colony types of N . gonorrhoeae . Absorption of the antiserum with LPS removed the agglutinating activity . Secondary cultures (1120) were tested without observation of the colony type and all were agglutinated . No agglutination occurred with strains of Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria lactamica, non-pathogenic Neisseria . Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Branhamella catarrhalis, or with species of lactobacilli and Acinetobacter . Cross-reactivity of the antiserum occurred with some streptococci . The anti-LPS serum was used to identify N . gonorrhoeae in primary isolates from the cervix, urethra, and pharynx . Of 251 gonococcal isolates tested, 249 were agglutinated by the antiserum, while all of the corresponding second cultures were agglutinated . The antiserum did not agglutinate N . meningitidis found in primary isolates from pharyngeal specimens . Anti-LPS hen serum should be useful for the rapid identification of N . gonorrhoeae in primary isolates or secondary cultures. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1978 Feb, 86(1), 35 - 40 Synthetic disaccharide-protein antigen for production of specific O2 antiserum for immunofluorescence diagnosis of salmonella; Svenungsson B et al.; Antisera from rabbits immunized with the synthetic disaccharide paratose 1 leads to alpha 3 mannose, representive of Salmonella O-antigen 2, covalently linked to bovine serum albumin (BSA), were used in indirect immunofluorescence studies for the identification of Salmonella serogroup A (O-antigen 1,2,12) bacteria . Among 1311 enteric bacteria tested, 497 were Salmonella . The anti-paratose 1 leads to alpha 3 mannose-BSA serum identified correctly all the 63 serogroup A strains tested . No positive reactions were recorded among 1248 strains respresenting Salmonella other than serogroup A, E . coli, Shigella, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Vibrio, Yersinia and Bacteroides . The study illustrates the high specificity of the antiserum elicited by immunization with the synthetic disaccharide-protein immunogen. Acta Biol Med Ger, 1978, 37(2), 191 - 8 {Cytochrome composition of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus}; Asperger O et al.; The qualitative and quantitative composition of cytochromes in intact cells of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and in particle fractions obtained from cells following ultrasonic treatment by differential centrifugation were studied using spectrophotometric methods . Acinetobacter calcoaceticus contains cytochrome b, cytochrome o and low amounts of cytochrome d . Both the absolute content of cytochrome b and o and the relative composition do not essentially vary with the carbon source used (hexadecane, acetate, succinate, malate, yeast extract) . Only bacterial cultivated on yeast extract show, under simultaneous decrease of the content of cytochrome o, an increased formation of cytochrome d . In Acinetobacter, cytochromes appear not to be immediately involved in n-alkane hydroxylation. J Bacteriol, 1978 Jan, 133(1), 439 - 41 Genetic analysis of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus proline auxotrophs; Ginther CL; Twenty-six Acinetobacter calcoaceticus proline auxotrophs were isolated after ethyl methane sulfonate mutagenesis . Studies using the efficient transformation system of this organism indicate that the mutations comprise therr genetically distinct groups. J Cell Sci, 1977 Dec, 28, 211 - 23 Endotoxin-induced platelet aggregation and secretion . I . Morphological changes and pharmacological effects; MacIntyre DE et al.; Endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Acinetobacter 199A induced aggregation of blood platelets from immune adherence-positive species (rat, rabbit) but not from immune adherence-negative species such as pig and man . Aggregation occurred in 2 phases: the first was not accompanied by secretion of platelet constituents, was apparently a consequence of C3 activation, and was selectively inhibited by EGTA . The second phase of aggregation was associated with secretion of platelet granule contents, and with a lesser amount of cytoplasmic leakage . Secondary aggregation was abolished by the sulphydryl alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide, and by agents which increased the level of cyclic AMP in platelets, such as prostaglandin E1 (a stimulator of adenylate cyclase) and methyl xanthines (inhibitors of phosphodiesterase) . Secondary aggregation was partly inhibited by agents which block platelet prostaglandin biosynthesis (e.g . aspirin, indomethacin) . Primary aggregation was unaffected by these inhibitors at concentrations which blocked secondary aggregation. J Gen Microbiol, 1977 Nov, 103(1), 127 - 40 Regulation of synthesis of benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250; Beggs JD et al.; Specific activity of benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase in carbon-limited continuous cultures was at a maximum at a specific growth rate of 0.2 h-1, but fell off at lower and higher growth rates . The specific activity in nitrogen-limited cultures was always lower and was inversely proportional to growth rate . There was severe repression of benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase during metabolism of L(+)-mandelate or phenylglyoxylate in batch cultures . Synthesis of benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase was followed in experiments where various compounds, including a gratuitous inducer and an anti-inducer of the mandelate enzymes, were added to uninduced or pre-induced cultures and to constitutive and blocked mutants . The results led to the conclusion that there were at least two types of repression . One was caused by phenylglyoxylate carbon-lyase (or a compound synthesized co-ordinately with it), but not by the other mandelate enzymes or by L(+)-mandelate, phenylglyoxylate, benzaldehyde or benzoate . A second type of repression was observed during rapid growth or after the addition of compound such as succinate which are rapidly and completely metabolized. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1977 Nov, 30(11), 969 - 73 beta-Lactamase and beta-lactam antibiotics resistance in acinetobacter anitratum (syn: A . calcoaceticus); Morohoshi T et al.; The cephalosporin beta-lactamase (cephalosporinase) produced by Acinetobacter was studied . The enzyme was partially purified by means of column chromatography and its properties were investigated . The enzyme was induced by benzylpenicillin, 6-aminopenicillanic acid and cephaloridine . Its molecular weight is 30,000 its optimal temperature 40C, and its optimal pH 7.25 similar to 7.50 . Substrate specificity studies using various cephalosporins and penicillins, showed that the enzyme functioned as a cephalosporinase rather than penicillinase. JAMA, 1977 Oct 3, 238(14), 1516 - 8 Community-acquired Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var anitratus pneumonia; Goodhart GL et al.; Two patients had community-acquired Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var anitratus pneumonia . Both patients were alcoholic and one was cirrhotic . One patient died and the other received two weeks of gentamicin therapy and survived . Misinterpretation of the sputum Gram stain delayed diagnosis and institution of proper therapy in both cases . In addition to organisms sensitive to penicillins such as Neisseria or Haemophilus, Acinetobacter must be considered in the differential diagnosis of community-acquired Gram-negative coccobacillary pneumonia. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Oct, 34(4), 347 - 50 Bacterial flora of the sea urchin Echinus esculentus; Unkles SE; A total of 85 isolates of mesophilic, aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from the gut, peristomial membrane, and coelomic fluid from specimens of the sea urchin Echinus esculentus from the Clyde Sea area of Scotland . These isolates were compared with 26 isolates from sand and seawater in the same locality . Overall, strains of Pseudomonas and Vibrio predominated . Gut (with an average bacterial viable count of 2 X 10(7) per 3-cm section) and coelomic fluid (which was often sterile and rarely had more than 40 bacteria per ml) had similar distributions of genera, with Vibrio predominating and Pseudomonas and Aeromonas next in abundance . In contrast, the flora of the peristomial membrane (with an average count of detachable bacteria of 2.5 X 10(5) per membrane) resembled that of sand/seawater in having Pseudomonas predominating, gram-positive forms or Vibrio next in abundance, and smaller numbers of Aeromonas, Flavobacterium, Acinetobacter, and Moraxella. J Gen Microbiol, 1977 Sep, 102(1), 33 - 43 Occurrence and patterns of waxes in Neisseriaceae; Bryn K et al.; Forty-five strains classified in the family Neisseriaceae were analysed for wax esters by gas-liquid chromatography . The amounts and types of waxes varied between the taxa . Waxes were not detected in 16 strains of 'true neisseriae' (genus Neisseria) or in two strains of Kingella, but they were found in all 'false neisseriae', in all species of Moraxella except Moraxella phenylpyrouvica, in five out of 10 strains of Acintobacter, and in all strains of a group of psychrophilic, oxidase-positive organisms . The chain lengths of the wax esters ranged from C24 to C42, with C36 predominating . In all taxa, esters with even numbers of carbon atoms constituted 70 to 100% of the total . Saturated, mono-unsaturated and diunsaturated waxes were found . Acinetobacter strains were characterized by large amounts (30 to 98%) of di-unsaturated wax esters; such waxes did not exceed 8% in the 'false neisseriae' or Moraxella spp . Waxes of strains belonging to the psychrophilic, oxidase-positive group generally resembled those found in Moraxella . Wax esters with odd numbers of carbon atoms were abundant in M . lacunata (29%), M . atlantae (15%) and in the psychorophilic group (19 to 28%); long-chain esters (C40 or above) were characteristic of M . atlantae (30%) and one strain of M . osloensis (26%). Mikrobiologiia, 1977 Sep-Oct, 46(5), 944 - 53 {Characteristics of growth and changes in the ultrafine structure of bacteria in the course of continuous cultivation on media containing ethanol}; Kvasnikov EI et al.; A large number of bacterial strains assimilating chemical ethanol has been isolated using an original technique . Active growth of strains belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and, particularly, Acinetobacter was registered on mineral media containing ethanol . A mathematical model was constructed select a strain of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus K-9 during its continuous cultivation on media containing ethanol . The model makes it possible to determine conditions for producing a present amount of the biomass, the percentage of its yield, and the produc;iveness as a function of the dilution rate, temperature, and the concentration of ethanol and phosphoric acid in the medium . The main characteristics of the growth process in the studied factor space were established . The optimum conditions were calculated for growth of the strain with respect to each of the criteria . Under various conditions of bacterial growth, changes in the morphology and ultra-fine structure of the cells correlated with their physiological activity . The volume of the cells increased with the rate of dilution of the medium: the process can be described by a saturation curve . The presence of mesosomal structures is typical of the cells growing at low flow rates. J Clin Pathol, 1977 Sep, 30(9), 838 - 41 Taxonomy of Acinetobacter: the usefulness of beta-D-xyloside xylohydrolase for strain differentiation; Hansen W et al.; One hundred and twenty-two clinical isolates of Acinetobacter were studied for the presence of beta-galactosidase and of beta-xylosidase, for biochemical characteristics, and for genetic interspecies transformation tests . All strains lacked beta-galactosidase; in contrast, beta-xylosidase was always present in the oxidative strains . This test proved to be of value for separating strains able to form acid from carbohydrates (A . anitratum and A . haemolyticus spp haemolyticus) from the non-oxidative strains (A . lwoffi and A . haemolyticus spp alcaligenes) . However, the genetic relationship of all strains tested warrants further study before Acinetobacters are grouped into clearly defined species. Am J Epidemiol, 1977 Aug, 106(2), 154 - 9 Pseudobacteremia: false-positive blood cultures from mist tent contamination; Snydman DR et al.; In the seven-month period from July 1975 through January 1976, 11 pediatric patients had Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratus cultured from blood; this organism had not been isolated from pediatric patients in the previous six months . In 10 of 11 patients, only the first of two cultures was positive . All patients recovered uneventfully, although only two were treated with appropriate antibiotics . Nine of 11 had been in mist tents at the time of the culture . Mist cultured from one tent contained the same organism found in the patient's blood culture . Eight of 10 patients, however, had blood for culture drawn from the same needle as samples for other blood work, compared with only three of 13 controls (p = .013); this represented a deviation from proper blood culture technique, and a mock trial confirmed contamination of blood cultures when technique was broken . Contamination by this organism occurred in the tent water reservoir and mist, and the nose and skin of the children were colonized . The hands of respiratory therapy technicians and blood-drawing personnel became contaminated while handling the mist tents . Thorough attention to hand-washing, tent sterilization, and technique in drawing blood cultures stopped the pseudo-epidemic. J Bacteriol, 1977 Aug, 131(2), 486 - 92 Characterization of lysocardiolipin from Acinetobacter sp . HO1-N; Torregrossa RE et al.; Triacyl-lysocardiolipin (triacyl-LCL) and diacyl-LCL were isolated from Acinetobacter sp . HO1-N, and their structures were determined by chemical, physical, and enzymatic procedures . Deacylation of triacyl-LCL and diacyl-LCL yielded bis-glycerylphosphorylglycerol . Periodate oxidation of both lysolipids was negative . Diglyceride and 2-monoglyceride resulted from the acetic acid hydrolysis of triacyl-LCL, whereas 2-monoglyceride was the sole product obtained from diacyl-LCL . Cardiolipin (CL)-specific phospholipase D treatment of triacyl-LCL yielded lysophosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid . Pancreatic lipase treatment of CL yielded triacyl-LCL and diacyl-LCL . 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry showed two resonance peaks separated by 40 HZ for CL, two overlapping peaks separated by 14 HZ for triacyl-LCL, and one peak for diacyl-LCL . The proportion of lysocardiolipin increased as a function of cell age, representing 2 to 3% of the total phospholipids in early- and mid-exponential growth, 5 to 7% in late-exponential growth, and 12% in the stationary growth phase. J Bacteriol, 1977 Aug, 131(2), 493 - 8 Outer membrane phospholipase A from Acinetobacter sp . HO1-N; Torregrossa RE et al.; A phospholipase A1 activity that hydrolyzed cardiolipin to triacyl- and diacyl-lysocardiolipin was localized in outer membrane preparations derived from Acinetobacter sp . HO1-N . The specific activity of the enzyme derived from hexadecane-grown cells was 2.5 to 3 times higher than that derived from NBYE-grown cells . An apparent Km of 2.22 mM was determined, although inhibition kinetics resulted at the higher cardiolipin substrate concentrations . Optimal reaction conditions established on metal requirements . Enzyme activity was obligately dependent on Triton X-100 (0.5%) and was inhibited by cationic and anionic detergents . Cardiolipin-specific phospholipase D converted triacyl-lysocardiolipin to lysophosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid . The specific activity of this enzyme was approximately 100 times greater than that reported for other membrane preparations derived from microorganisms. Med J Aust, 1977 Jul 23, 2(4), 121 - 4 Acinetobacter septicaemia following prolonged intravenous therapy; Harvey K et al.; A 76-year-old man developed septicaemia during the infusion of stable plasma protein solution (SPPS) which was subsequently shown to be contaminated with Acinetobacter anitratus . Septicaemia persisted for four days despite change of the intravenous cannula and administration of an appropriate antibiotic . Clinical improvement occurred only when the entire intravenous line, (infusion bottle, airway needle, giving set and intravenous cannula), all of which grew Acinetobacter, was replaced . Contamination of the SPPS probably occurred in the ward via a contaminated giving set and airway needle, which had been in use for one week . This case illustrates the importance of following accepted guidelines for infection control in intravenous therapy. Z Rechtsmed, 1977 Jul 5, 80(1), 73 - 8 Sudden death due to Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome and purulent leptomeningitis caused by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (Mima polymorpha); Ferrara SD et al.; A case of Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome presenting with purulent leptomeningitis causing sudden death is described . The causative agent, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (Mina polymorpha), was determined by post-mortem microbiological examination. J Bacteriol, 1977 Jul, 131(1), 92 - 7 Metabolism of the alkane analogue n-dioctyl ether by Acinetobacter species; Modrzakowski MC et al.; Metabolism of n-dioctyl ether by Acinetobacter species HO1-N resulted in formation of 8-n-octoxy-1-octanoic acid and 2-n-octoxy-1-acetic acid . The 16-carbon ether acid was incorporated into the cellular lipids, whereas the 10-carbon ether acid accumulated in the growth medium . Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the cellular phospholipids were similar to hexadecane-grown cells . The growth of Acinetobacter on dioctyl ether occurred at the expense of six-carbon atoms of dioctyl ether. Health Lab Sci, 1977 Jul, 14(3), 194 - 8 The clinical significance of Acinetobacter species; Rosenthal SL et al.; Of 50 consecutive patients from whom Acinetobacter species were isolated, only one had an infection due to the organism which required antibiotic therapy . Fourteen of the isolates were associated with minor body surface infections and the remainder occurred as the result of either colonization without infection or culture contamination . The taxonomy, natural occurrence and antibiotic sensitivity of Acinetobacter species and their differentiation from more pathogenic organisms are reviewed. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1977 Jun, 85(3), 177 - 83 Microbial aggregate contamination of water lines in dental equipment and its control; Kelstrup J et al.; Water from some dental clinics has been examined and found to be discoloured, badly tasting and with a foul odour . Moreover, brown or black flakes were often present in tap water, as well as in the water lines of dental equipment . Examination by phase-contrast and electron microscope showed the flakes to consist of aggregated fungi and bacteria, and similar structures were found in a layer on the inner surfaces of the clinics water tubes and pipes . The ultrastructure of some aggregating microorganisms, including fungal hyphae and sheath-forming and stalked bacteria, was studied in detail, and several modes of aggregation were suggested . Cultivation of contaminated water samples revealed the presence of filamentous fungi, including Cladosporium and Cephalosporium, and of non-fluorescent Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Flavobacterium, and Moraxella (?) . Removal of microorganisms from the walls of the tubing was effectively accomplished by rinsing with the non-corrosive solution of 4 per cent Tween 80, coloured with Ponceau 4 R. Mol Gen Genet, 1977 May 20, 153(1), 39 - 43 Host factor for coliphage Q beta RNA replication: presence in procaryotes and association with the 30S ribosomal subunit in Escherichia coli; DuBow MS et al.; The Host Factor required for in vitro coliphage Q beta RNA replication, a heat-stable RNA binding protein present in uninfected Escherichia coli, has been detected by both immunological and functional tests in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida . It was not detectable by these criteria in Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Caulobacter crescentus, Micrococcus lysodeikticus, Rhodopseudomonas capsulata or Saccharomyces cerevisiae . In Escherichia coli the Host Factor protein has been shown to be associated with ribosomes . It is demonstrated here that this association is specific for the 30S ribosomal subunit. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Apr, 33(4), 853 - 9 Microbiological characteristics of Pacific shrimp (Pandalus jordani); Lee JS et al.; Microorganisms associated with Pacific shrimp (Pandalus jordani) were isolated and identified . Those on the iced raw shrimp, which yielded an average count of 1.6 x 10(6), were predominantly Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Arthrobacter, and Flavobacterium-Cytophaga spp . The blanching and peeling reduced the microbial level to 3.3 x 10(4) and also selectively eliminated Moraxella spp . The microbial flora changed after each processing sequence, and the heat sensitivity and growth characteristics of the representative microbial groups suggested that the presence of Arthrobacter and Acinetobacter spp . in peeled shrimp may indicate inadequate cleaning of raw shrimp or a shorter blanching time . The presence of Moraxella and Flavobacterium-Cytophaga spp . would indicate the degree of secondary contamination, and the presence of Pseudomonas spp . would indicate the shelf-age of the processed shrimp. Eur J Biochem, 1977 Mar 15, 74(1), 115 - 27 The metabolism of trans-cyclohexan-1,2-diol by an Acinetobacter species; Davey JF et al.; 1 . Acinetobacter TD63 was one of some thirty organisms isolated by elective culture with trans-cyclohexan-1,2-diol as sole source of carbon . The great majority of these isolates displayed the same growth spectrum as Nocardia globerula CL1 and Acinetobacter NCIB 9871 being capable of utilizing trans-cyclohexan-1,2-diol, 2-hydroxycyclohexan-1-one, cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone,1-oxa-2oxocycloheptane and adipate and were assumed to use well described metabolic pathways . 2 . Acinetobacter TD63 was distinctive in being incapable of growth with cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone or 1-oxa-2-oxocycloheptane and because of this it was hoped that it would display an alternative pathway for the oxidation of trans-cyclohexan-1,2-diol . 3 . Studies with cell extracts have shown the presence of inducible dehydrogenase for the conversion of trans-cyclohexan-1,2-diol to 2-hydroxycyclohexan-1-one and cyclohexan-1,2-dione and of 6-oxohexanoate to adipate . These enzymes are linked into a metabolic sequence by the action of a monooxygenase of broad specificity but efficiently capable of converting 2-hydroxy-cyclohexan-1-one into the lactone 1-oxa-2-oxo-7-hydroxycycloheptane that spontaneously rearranges to yield 6-oxohexanoate . 4 . An enzyme capable of attacking cyclohexan-1,2-dione (mono-enol) in the absence of an electron donor or oxygen has also been detected . Evidence has been presented indicating that this enzyme catalyses a keto-enol tautomerization between cyclohexan-1,2-dione (mono-enol) and cyclohexan-1,2-dione (mono-hydrate) and is not involved in the pathway of ring cleavage . 5 . The failure of Acinetobacter TD63 to grow with cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone or 1-oxa-2-oxocycloheptane is due not to this organism possessing a distinctive metabolic sequence but to a narrow inducer specificity coupled with an inability to form a lactone hydrolase enabling it to cleave the stable 1-oxa-2-oxocycloheptane which is an intermediate in the established pathway of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone oxidation. Arch Microbiol, 1977 Mar 1, 112(2), 201 - 6 {Utilization of trimethylammonium-compounds by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (author's transl)}; Kleber H-P et al.; The utilization of carnitine and carnitine derivatives (O-acylcarnitines, carnitine carboxylderivatives) and structure-related trimethylammonium-compounds (betaines and nitrogen-bases) by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was studied by means of the control of growth and the quantitative detection of metabolites . The strain grew only on L-carnitine, L-O-acylcarnitines, and gamma-butyrobetaine as the sole carbon sources . The utilization of these compounds and the growth correlated with the cleavage of the C-N bond and thereby with the formation of trimethylamin . D-Carnitine was metabolized, if an additional carbon source, like L-carnitine, was present in the incubation mixture, or if the bacteria were preincubated with L- or DL-carnitine, but no growth was observed on D-carnitine as the sole carbon source . The bacteria oxidized choline to glycinebetaine in the presence of additional carbon sources, glycinebetaine itself was not assimilated . With regard to the catabolism of quaternary nitrogen compounds Acinetobacter calcoaceticus shows a different pathway in comparison with other bacterial species metabolizing carnitine. Arch Microbiol, 1977 Mar 1, 112(2), 127 - 32 Assimilatory nitrate reductase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Villalobo A et al.; A soluble nitrate reductase from the bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus grown on nitrate has been characterized . The reduction of nitrate to nitrite is mediated by an enzyme of 96000 molecular weight that can use as electron donors either viologen dyes chemically reduced with dithionite or enzymatically reduced with NAD(P)H, through specific diaphorases which utilize viologens as electron acceptors . Nitrate reductase activity is molybdenumdependent as shown by tungstate antagonistic experiments and is sensitive to--SH reagents and metal chelators such as KCN . The enzyme synthesis is repressed by ammonia . Moreover, nitrate reductase activity undergoes a quick inactivation either by dithionite and temperature or by dithionite in the presence of small amounts of nitrate . Cyanate prevents this inactivating process and can restore the activity once the inactivation had occurred, thus suggesting that an interconversion mechanism may participate in the regulation of Acinetobacter nitrate reductase. Medicine (Baltimore), 1977 Mar, 56(2), 79 - 97 Infections with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (Herellea vaginicola): clinical and laboratory studies; Glew RH et al.; In a retrospective review of 53 patients, 58 episodes of infection due to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratus (Herellea vaginicola) were studied . Although the organism is widely distributed in nature, it is of relatively low virulence since colonization is more frequently noted than infection and since most infections occur in patients subjected to the epidemiologic pressures common to nosocomial, gram-negative bacillary infection: prior antibiotic therapy; instrumentation and manipulation (e.g., endotracheal intubation, urinary bladder catheterization, arterial and venous cannulation); surgery; hospitalization, especially with residence in an intensive care unit; severe underlying disease, either systemic (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, malignancy) or localized to the infected area (e.g., prior bacterial or aspirational pneumonia, trauma) . Pneumonia was the most common infection due to A . calcoaceticus, and occurred only in patients with a tracheostomy or endotracheal tube in place . In over half the 25 patients, more than one lobe was involved and bronchopneumonia was the usual roentgenographic appearance . Cavitation (2 patients) and empyema formation (3 patients) were uncommon . The severity of acinetobacter pneumonia is reflected in the high mortality rate (44% overall, with a 36% mortality rate due primarily to infection) . Tracheobronchitis due to A . calcoaceticus was less severe than pneumonia since no patients died primarily as a result of the infection . Urinary tract infections occurred in five patients, none of whom were ill and none of whom died . Urinary bladder catheterization was thought to be responsible for infection in three patients, and in at least four of the five patients infection was restricted to the lower tract . Wound infections were noted in six patients who had undergone surgery and were related to the presence of foreign bodies in the operative site in five of the patients . Surgical debridement and/or drainage of the infected area was the primary therapeutic measure employed in most cases . Only one patient died and this was a result of noninfectious causes . Skin infection due to A . calcoaceticus was seen in two patients, one of whom exhibited fulminant, fatal cellulitis and septicemia in the setting of pancytopenia . All nine patients with acinetobacter septicemia had received antecedent antibiotic therapy, and in all cases intravenous catheters were in place at the time bacteremia occurred . Clinically, seven of the nine patients were in shock . The mortality rate was 44% overall, with a 22% mortality rate due to infection . Although septicemia was thought to be "line-related" in five of the nine patients, serious post-bacteremic complications developed in three patients: prosthetic valve endocarditis, suppurative thrombophlebitis and subhepatic abscess. JAMA, 1977 Feb 21, 237(8), 795 - 7 Room humidifiers as the source of Acinetobacter infections; Smith PW et al.; Twenty-four patients contracted systemic infections with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus during a four-month period . Unheated room humidifiers at the patients' bedsides were implicated as the source of infection in six . The outbreak was terminated with the removal of the humidifers. J Clin Microbiol, 1977 Feb, 5(2), 227 - 35 Genetic transformation assays for identification of strains of Moraxella urethralis; Juni E; Studies of 31 strains of Moraxella urethralis have shown that 20 of them are competent for genetic transformation . This finding has led to the development of transformation assays for identification of newly isolated strains of this organism . Crude deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples from all strains of M . urethralis readily transform auxotrophic mutants of competent strains to prototrophy, whereas DNA samples from unrelated bacteria such as Acinetobacter, Moraxella, and Neisseria species uniformly fail to elicit positive transformation of mutant tester strains . One of the competent strains of M . urethralis investigated is a naturally occurring mutant defective in its ability to utilize citrate as a carbon and energy source . DNA samples from 29 of the 30 remaining strains of utilization; the one nonreacting strain is citrate negative and probably possesses the same genetic lesion as the citrate-negative mutant . Three organisms originally identified as strains of M . urethralis, because of their phenotypic properties, are probably incorrectly designated, since DNA samples from these strains failed to transform any of the tester mutant strains used in the present study . The transformation assay for M . urethralis is very simple and can be performed readily in a clinical laboratory . The entire procedure can be carried out in less than 24 h. Ann Intern Med, 1977 Feb, 86(2), 186 - 8 The microbiology of evacuated blood collection tubes; Washington JA 2nd; A collaborative study involving 20 clinical laboratories representing diverse geographical regions was organized to examine the microbiology of evacuated blooc collection tubes . Overall, 14% of the 1433 tubes examined contained microorganisms representing a variety of bacteria and fungi . Of note was the finding that nearly 9% of tubes with yellow closures, which are stated to be sterile by the manufacturers, contained bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enterococci, Serratia marcescens, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . Sterilization of these potential sources of infection is advisable. J Clin Microbiol, 1977 Feb, 5(2), 178 - 83 Evaluation of a simple device for bacteriological sampling of respirator-generated aerosols; Ryan KJ et al.; The Aerotest sampler (Olympic Medical Corp., Seattle, Wash.) is designed to detect bacterial contamination of respirator-generated aerosols in a simple one-step process . The sampler was evaluated by controlled contamination of Bennett AP-5, PR-2, and MA-1 respirators with Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter . Bacteria present as viable 1.4 to 3.5-mum particles in each of 77 aerosols were quantitated by using the Andersen viable-particle sampler, and the results were compared with those of colonies obtained from 10-s or 15-cycle Aerotest samples . All aerosols containing counts greater than expected in hospital air were detected by the Aerotest method . Thirteen of 14 aerosols containing less than 20 bacteria/0.028 m3 showed fewer than 5 colonies, whereas all aerosols containing greater than 1,000 bacteria/0.028 m3 showed at least 40 colonies . Aerosols with intermediate counts fell in between . Under the conditions described here, the Aerotest sampler was able to discriminate between the low levels of bacteria commonly found in hospital air and the bacterial contamination associated with nosocomial pneumonia . The Aerotest sampler provides a practical method for surveillance sampling of respirator nebulizers. J Clin Pathol, 1977 Feb, 30(2), 160 - 4 Drug resistance in relation to use of silver sulphadiazine cream in a burns unit; Bridges K et al.; Topical chemoprophylaxis of extensive burns with silver sulphadiazine cream led to a large increase in the proportion of sulphadiazine-resistant Gram-negative bacilli in a burns unit . When all sulphonamide treatment in the ward was stopped; the incidence of sulphonamide-resistant strains fell back to levels similar to those recorded when silver sulphadiazine treatment was introduced . This was associated with a large reduction in the incidence of resistance of certain Gram-negative bacilli (especially Klebstella sp) to several antibiotics . Transferable resistance to sulphadiazine, shown by conjugation experiments with Escherichia coli K12, was found in a majority of the strains of Klebsiella sp tested, and in other species . A pattern of transferable resistance to tetracycline, cephaloridine, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, carbenicillin, and sulphadiazine (T Ce Cl A Ca S) was found in four of the 22 strains of Klebsiella tested, and closely related patterns were transferred by five other strains . These patterns of resistance were commonly found in Klebsiella sp isolated from burns in the period before the withdrawal of sulphonamides from the ward but were found in none of the Klebsiella strains isolated in the first six months after that period . Strains of Acinetobacter and Proteus, in which transferable resistance was not found, showed no appreciable fall or rise in sulphadiazine resistance; there was no fall in resistance of these organisms to tetracycline, cephaloridine, chloramphenicol, ampicillin or carbenicillin on withdrawal of sulphonamides from the ward, but there were substantial falls in resistance of Acinetobacter to kanamycin, gentamicin, trimethoprim, and tetracycline which were probably not caused by the withdrawal of sulphonamides. Arch Surg, 1977 Feb, 112(2), 151 - 3 Prosthetic valve endocarditis by opportunistic pathogens; Juffe A et al.; The incidence of endocarditis produced by the so-called "opportunists" as a complication of prosthetic valve surgery is progressively increasing in frequency and gradually transforming the clinical picture habitually associated with this disease . We report six cases of endocarditis produced by opportunistic microorganisms (two cases by Candida, and the remaining by Serratia, Actinobacillus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Bacteroides fragilis, and by Corynebacterium diphtheriae) in four male and two female patients, making special comment on our findings, diagnostic criteria, and treatment . The patients' ages ranged from 9 to 54 years, and all six patients had long-term complications, with symptoms appearing between 45 days and four years after prosthetic valve surgery . The progressive increase of this new type of prosthesis infection is favored by the indiscriminate use of certain drugs and especially by the prophylactic use of antibiotics. J Hyg (Lond), 1977 Feb, 78(1), 1 - 10 Ecological effects of a deodorant and a pain soap upon human skin bacteria; Bibel DJ; The effects of a commercial trichlorocarbanilide-containing deodorant soap and a commercial plain soap upon the cutaneous flora of individuals were compared . Using a cross-over design, 21 volunteers (10 women and 11 men) washed their forearms at least once a day with one soap for 3 weeks and then switched soaps for another 4 weeks use . By analysis of variance no significant difference in total colony counts was noted among individuals in their use of the two soaps . With the exception of individual variation, neither sequence of use, sex, nor any combination was influential . However, in 20 of 21 subjects an alteration in the composition of skin flora was observed . The deodorant soap, which in six cases increased total flora, tended to reduce or eliminate diphtheroids in 12 to 17 carriers (71%) . Fewer kinds of bacteria were also noted . More Staphylococcus epidermidis was seen with the plain soap, but washing with the deodorant soap seemed to favour Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Micrococcus luteus . The impact of this alteration and the use of total counts to measure effectiveness of deodorant soaps were brought into question. Chemotherapy, 1977, 23 Suppl 1, 86 - 92 Interactions of fosfomycin with other antibiotics; Daza R et al.; We selected 100 strains of organisms that were isolated in our hospital, which came from pathological products and which had an MIC of fosfomycin of 256 mug/ml or more and belonged to the genera Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, Serratia, Enterobacter, Proteus, Acinetobacter, Levinea and Staphylococcus . We have studied the effect of the association of fosfomycin with 15 antibiotics (beta-lactamins, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, etc.) and 5 chemotherapeutics . The 11 selected strains were studied by the 'chess board' technique in agar . A study was also carried out on the action of fosfomycin on E . coli K12 E711 in the phase of logarithmic growth . The 11 selected strains were studied by the 'chess board' technique in agar . Synergic effect with fosfomycin associated to other antimicrobials was found in 9 strains. Acta Biol Med Ger, 1977, 36(9), 1237 - 42 {Uptake of acetate by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus}; Haferburg D et al.; The uptake of acetate by intact nongrowing cells of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was studied in dependence on the C-source (acetate, n-alcanes, yeast extract, succinate, L-malate) and the growth phase . Single kinetic parameters of acetate uptake were determined . The best acetate uptake was observed with cells cultivated with acetate as the only C-source . Bacteria in the early growth phase were found to transfer acetate twice as fast as cells of the late logarithmic growth phase . The uptake of acetate can be described by a biphasic saturation kinetics with 2 Km values: the Km value for the first phase being 1.10(-5) M, and for the second one, 1.8 .10(-4) M . The corresponding maximal uptake rates are 8 and 37 mM/min/mg dry weight, respectively . Alpha-ketoglutarate, fumarate, L-malate, and oxalacetate inhibit the initial uptake of acetate . Uranylacetate, inhibitors of the respiratory chain and proton conductors in part completely inhibit the uptake of acetate. J Cell Sci, 1977, 27, 213 - 25 Changes in the surface properties of rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes, induced by bacteria and bacterial endotoxin; Thorne KJ et al.; Rabbit peritoneal polymorphonuclear leucocytes were induced to aggregate by a variety of bacterial species . In the absence of serum, Gram-negative bacteria were more effective at inducing aggregation than Gram-positive . The most effective micro-organism tested, Acinetobacter sp . 199A, was readily phagocytosed and also induced extracellular secretion of the granule enzymes peroxidase and lysozyme . Isolated endotoxin from this bacterial species was highly effective in inducing aggregation and granule enzyme release . Endotoxin-induced aggregation was associated with a large increase in the amount of lactoperoxidase-catalysed iodination of surface protein . Only one iodinatable protein was detected, of molecular weight 150 000 . It is postulated that phagocytosis of Gram-negative bacteria, followed by granule enzyme release, accelerates the rate of membrane recycling and that this brings new adhesive protein to the surface more rapidly. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Dec 20, 450(3), 335 - 41 Phospholipase A2 activity of the regularly arranged surface protein of Acinetobacter sp.199A; Thorne KJ et al.; The regularly arranged surface protein, the a-protein, of Acinetobacter 199A has been shown to have phospholipase A2 activity . Since half of the a-protein synthesised by Acinetobacter 199A is secreted into the growth medium, the bacteria are producing extracellular phospholipase A2. Rev Biol Trop, 1976 Dec, 24(2), 251 - 9 Changes in the bacterial cecal flora of mice infected with Trichuris muris (Schrank, 1788); Pike EH; Cecal microorganisms of mice were categorized and enumerated weekly during the developmental cycle of infection with the whipworm, Trichuris muris . The cecal bacterial population consisted of Escherichia coli, Proteus spp, Acinetobacter lwoffi (Mima polymorpha), aerobic lactobacilli, staphylococci, enterococci, and anaerobes (bacteroides, streptococci, and lactobacilli) in control and T . muris-infected mice . The aerobic lactobacilli and the anaerobes constituted the greatest number of organisms in both groups . In week three there was a decrease in the number of these organisms, and in week four fewer of these and of all other organisms in the worm-infected mice when compared to controls . The most significantly reduced bacterial counts were observed during the period of T . muris self-cure. J Dairy Sci, 1976 Nov, 59(11), 1857 - 64 Incidence and identification of phospholipase C-producing bacteria in fresh and spoiled homogenized milk; Fox CW et al.; Bacteria which produced phospholipase C were isolated from 13 of 34 fresh and 15 of 35 spoiled samples of homogenized milk . No single off flavor was assigned consistently to samples with phospholipase producers, but 75% of them were bitter . Pseudomonads constituted 62% of the isolates . Other phospholipase C-producing genera and their numbers were Acinetobacter, two; Alcaligenes, three; Bacillus, two; Citrobacter, one; Enterobacter, three; and Flavobacterium, two . Two unidentified yeasts also were isolated. Can J Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 22(11), 1654 - 7 {Degradation of hydrocarbons in the presence of other organic substances by bacteria isolated from seawater}; Le Petit J et al.; Three bacterial strains, isolated on gas-oil from seawater, have a variously changed growth on hexadecane with supply of two organic substances . Acetate reduces growth of all tested strains and particularly the hexadecane degradation by Acinetobacter sp . On the contrary, trypticase-phytone promotes the degradation by the three strains. Vet Med (Praha), 1976 Nov, 21(11), 641 - 8 {Infective situation in a cow barn contaminated with Klebsiella mastitis}; Mraz O et al.; The infection situation in a four-row cow-house for 153 animals with a frequent occurrence of Klebsiella mastitis was subject to a detailed analysis . The following results were obtained after two collections of blood and udder-quarter milk samples examined by the test-tube agglutination, gel precipitation, and bacteriological diagnosis methods: 1 . Streptococcus agalactiae was isolated from milk samples 28 and 31 times, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 15 and 19 times, Staphylococcus arueus 16 and 19 times, Klebsiella pneumoniae 6 and 6 times, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus once and 4 times, Enterobacter aerogenes twice and three times, and Escherichia coli twice . The authors failed to determine the causative agent in 26--38 cows (20--30%) with a pathologically changed secretion . 2 . Double test-tube agglutination performed in a 30-day interval revealed suspected Klebsiella antibodies having a titre of 80 + + and higher in 13 dairy cows (12%); However, the suspicion was disproved by the negative results of gel precipitation . 3 . The final deduction concerning the exogenic character of Klebsiella mastitis should encourage efforts for good housing, due nutrition, efficacious disinfection, and hygienic milk production. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Nov, 236(2-3), 407 - 10 Butandioldehydrogenase in Eikenella corrodens and related bacteria; Schroter G; The butandioldehydrogenase was examined in 153 strains of Eikenella, Moraxella, Acinetobacter, Agrobacterium, Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, Pasteurella, Cardiobacterium and "TM-1" of Hollis et al . This enzyme has been proved to be useful in the differentiation of this group of bacteria. J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Oct, 96(2), 365 - 74 Regulation of growth of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 on benzyl alcohol in batch culture; Beggs JD et al.; Formation of benzoate and catechol during oxidation of benzyl alcohol by washed suspensions of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 confirmed earlier results indicating that this organism metabolizes benzyl alcohol via benzaldehyde, benzoate, and the 3-oxoadipate pathway . There was no evidence for feedback inhibition of benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase or benzaldehyde dehydrogenase II . Examination of growth curves and patterns of substrate utilization, as well as measurement of enzyme activities, showed that benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase and benzaldehyde dehydrogenase II are repressed when A . calcoaceticus utilizes L-mandelate or phenylglyoxylate . Growth of bacteria on L-mandelate prior to their inoculation into benzyl alcohol/salts medium leads to an exceptionally long lag period before benzyl alcohol is used at the maximum rate . Benzyl alcohol metabolism is also suppressed during growth on benzoate. Nord Vet Med, 1976 Sep, 28(9), 459 - 63 A study of skin diseases in dogs and cats . II . Microflora of the normal skin of dogs and cats; Krogh HV et al.; A study of the microflora of the normal skin was undertaken in 10 dogs and 10 cats . Swabs were taken from the surface of the skin at 7 different sites (Fig . 1) . Micrococcus spp., alpha-hemolytic streptococci, and Acinetobacter spp . were found consistently in both species . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 9 dogs and 4 cats, and staphylococcus epidermidis from 7 dogs and 5 cats . Beta-hemolytic streptococci, Corynebacterium spp., Bacillus spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas spp., and Alcaligenes spp . were found sporadically. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Aug-Sep, 127B(2), 213 - 25 {Microbial growth and fuel tanks hazards (author's transl)}; Odier E; Fuel tanks are susceptible to contain a microflora consisting of bacteria and fungi which appear as sludge at the bottom of the tanks . This microflora is quite variable . Various strains of microorganisms were isolated, belonging to the following genera: Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Mycococcus, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Candida, Cladosporium . These strains are generally adapted to hydrocarbons though non adapted strains are also found, which develop with the help of metabolites excreted by the adapted strains or their lysates . The microorganisms use mostly the paraffinic fraction of the fuel . Some strains attack also aromatic hydrocarbons . Contaminated fuels were found to contain noticeable amounts of fatty acids . The study of the production of organic acids by strains isolated from fuel tanks shows that many strains are able to excrete organic acids . The nature of the fatty acids produced depends upon the strain: in some dases they correspond to the branched paraffins contained in the fuel . The comparison of microbial growth and organic acid production in mixed cultures with fuel with various quantities of fuel to water shows that the large amount of fuel compared to water in a fuel tank can be responsible for the importance of microbial growth and organic acids. J Infect Dis, 1976 Aug, 134 Suppl, S40 - 9 Emergence of gentamicin-resistant bacteria: experience with tobramycin therapy of infections due to gentamicin-resistant organisms; Moellering RC Jr et al.; A computerized system for testing and surveillance of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics was used in monitoring the emergence of gentamicin-resistant strains of aerobic and facultative gram-negative bacilli at Massachusetts General Hospital since the release of gentamicin for clinical use in 1971 . During the period studied, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of gentamicin-resistant bacteria, particularly among Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter (Herellea), and Proteus and, more recently, among Enterobacter and Klebsiella . Most gentamicin-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratum (Herellea varginicola) retained susceptibility to tobramycin . Of the other gentamicin-resistant organisms, most were also resistant to tobramycin . Twelve patients with infections caused by gentamicin-resistant organisms were treated with tobramycin . All 12 patients were seriously ill, and all but one had failed to respond to previous therapy with gentamicin . Nine patients responded favorably to tobramycin, and six were cured . P . aeruginosa and A . calcoaceticus var . anitratum were most frequently the infecting organisms in these patients . Patients received tobramycin for three to 42 days; no significant drug-related toxicity was noted . These results emphasize the increasing clinical importance of gentamicin-resistant bacteria and suggest that tobramycin may be effective for treatment of some, but not all, infections caused by gentamicin-resistant bacteria. Infect Immun, 1976 Aug, 14(2), 555 - 63 Lysis and killing of bacteria by lysosomal proteinases; Thorne KJ et al.; The bacteriolytic and bactericidal effects of the human proteinases cathepsin B, cathepsin D, cathepsin G, and elastase were investigated . Cathepsin G and elastase were 5 to 10% as active as egg white lysozyme in the lysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus . All four enzymes slowly lysed the lysozyme-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . The gram-negative Acinetobacter 199A was rendered sensitive to lysozyme by all of the proteinases . Only elastase caused marked proteolysis of the outer membrane, which would permit access by lysozyme to the underlying peptidoglycan . When the surface layer of regularly arranged a protein was removed, however, the outer membrane proteins became susceptible to the other proteinases . Cathepsin G, elastase, and cathepsin D were bactericidal to Acinetobacter 199A . The bactericidal activity of cathepsin D was shown to be dependent on enzymatic activity, unlike that of cathepsin G, which was related to its cationic nature. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1976 Aug, 84(4), 177 - 88 Cellular monosaccharide patterns of Neisseriaceae; Jantzen E et al.; Sixty-four strains of Neisseria, Moraxella, and Acinetobacter were screened for cellular monosaccharides by gas-liquid chromatography and other chromatographic techniques . The four sugars ribose, glucose, glucosamine, and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate (KDO) were detected in all strains . Heptose was detected only in "true neisseriae" (Neisseria gonorrhoeae, N . meningitidis, N . sicca, N . cinerea, N . flavescens, and N . elongata) and in the tentaively named species Moraxella urethralis . Some marked interspecies dissimilarities within groups were revealed . Thus, N . ovis and M . atlantae were characterized by the presence of mannose . Intraspecies differences were also encountered . N . meningitidis strains of serogroups B and C were distinguished from strains of serogroup A by their sialic acid content . This sugar was also detected in two out of three examined strains of M . nonliquefaciens . In Acinetobacter, heterogeneity of monosaccharide patterns was rather pronounced . The results show the applicability of gas chromatographic "monosaccharide" profiles fo whole cells or extracted carbohydrate in bacterial classification and identification, including differentiation at the subspecies level . In addition, such profiles may be useful for monitoring during purification of cellular polysaccharides. J Infect Dis, 1976 Aug, 134 Suppl, S28 - 32 Susceptibility of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli to tobramycin; Uwaydah M et al.; There has been increasing interest in the pathogenic role of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli in human infections . Except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the susceptibility pattern of these organisms to tobramycin has not been evaluated thoroughly . The activity of tobramycin, as compared with that of gentamicin, was tested by the serial broth dilution technique against 178 isolates of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli obtained from various sources . P . aeruginosa, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratum (Herellea vaginicola), A . calcoaceticus var . Iwoffi (Mima olymorpha), Pseudomonas alcaligenes, and Pseudomonas acidovorans accounted for 82% of all cultures tested . The vast majority of these organisms were susceptible to both tobramycin and gentamicin . Resistance was most common with Alcaligenes odorans; six of 12 isolates were resistant to gentamicin and tobramycin . There was only one isolate of Pseudomonas diminuta; it was highly resistant to both antibiotics. Nucleic Acids Res, 1976 Aug, 3(8), 1937 - 45 Conversion of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase to a template independent enzyme; Berge RK et al.; Preparations of RNA polymerase (E.C.2.7.7.6) from uninfected Escherichia coli, T4 infected Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus when centrifuged in sucrose gradients in the absence of magnesium ions gave rise to five peaks, all of which were able to form polymers from ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates in the absence of template or primer . All of the peaks obtained from the Escherichia coli enzyme appeared to contain the subunit alpha and beta and, in addition, polypeptides which appeared to be derived from the subunit beta. J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Aug, 96(2), 220 - 32 Numerical taxonomy of aquatic Acinetobacter isolates; Pagel JE et al.; Two hundred and seventy Gram-negative strains, representing aquatic members of the genus acinetobacter, were isolated and compared with 48 related clinical isolates and reference strains from a variety of genera . For each isolate, a total of 96 coded characters derived from 89 characteristics was determined using morphological, physiological, nutritional and biochemical features, in addition to sensitivities to several antibiotics and inhibitory agents . The data were analysed by computer to obtain a simple matching coefficient for each pair of strains . Clustering was performed by the unweighted pair-group method of association . Two major phenons were formed which excluded the oxidase-positive, motile or facultatively anaerobic strains . Within each phenon, three 'subphenons' were delimited . The two phenons, comprising 291 isolates, were tentatively differentiated at the species level, while their shared characteristics indicated that both phenons should be included in the genus Acinetobacter . Phenon 2 contained most of the clinical isolates and corresponded to the type species Aci . calcoaceticus as described originally by Baumann, Doudoroff & Stanier (1968) . Phenon 1 was composed almost entirely of aquatic isolates and may prove to represent a second species of a less biochemically-active nature . Distinguishing characters have been suggested as diagnostic criteria for the differentiation of these two phenons. J Bacteriol, 1976 Jul, 127(1), 440 - 50 Synthesis and turnover of the regularly arranged surface protein of Acinetobacter sp . relative to the other components of the cell envelope; Thorne KJ et al.; The formation of the components of the cell envelope of Acinetobacter sp . 199A was investigated by measuring the incorporation of {3H}leucine into protein, {14C}galactose into lipopolysaccharide, 32P into phospholipid, and {3H}diaminopimelic acid into peptidoglycan . Whereas the lipopolysaccharide and intrinsic protein of the outer membrane were stable, some of the regularly arranged surface protein, the alpha-protein, was lost into the growth medium . Only newly synthesized alpha-protein was lost . The peptidoglycan of the murein layer was also labile . Selective inhibition of the formation of individual components of the cell envelope with penicillin, chloramphenicol, and bacitracin showed that incorporation of protein into the outer membrane required the simultaneous formation of complete lipopolysaccharide . The converse was not true: protein synthesis was not required for lipopolysaccharide incorporation . Formation of the outer membrane and the murein layer proceeded independently. J Bacteriol, 1976 Jul, 127(1), 367 - 79 Regulation of enzyme synthesis in the tryptophan pathway of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Cohn W et al.; In Acinetobacter calcoaceticus the seven genes coding for the enzymes responsible for tryptophan synthesis map at three chromosomal locations . Two three-gene clusters, one (trpGDC) specifying the small subunit of anthranilate synthase, phosphoribosyl transferase, and indoleglycerol phosphate synthase and the other (trpFBA) specifying phosphoribosyl anthranilate isomerase and both tryptophan synthase subunits, are not linked to each other or to the trpE gene specifying the large anthranilate synthase subunit . When regulation of trp gene expression is studied in the wild type, only the level of the trpF gene product decreases upon addition of tryptophan to the medium . Tryptophan starvation of tryptophan auxotrophs, however, results in increased levels of all the tryptophan enzymes; this and additional evidence suggests that the expression of all the trp genes is subject to repression . The trpGDC genes are coordinately controlled, and the trpE gene is regulated in parallel with them . The trpFBA genes are controlled neither coordinately nor in parallel with the other trp genes, but respond proportionally when compared with each other . So far, two types of constitutive mutants have been found . The first class of mutants apparently occurs in the structural gene for a repressor protein; this repressor locus is unlinked to any of the biosynthetic trp genes and affects only the expression of trpE and the trpGDC cluster . The second class contains mutants closely linked to the trpGDC region; they overproduce only the gene products of this cluster. J Bacteriol, 1976 Jul, 127(1), 481 - 9 Characterization of intracytoplasmic hydrocarbon inclusions from the hydrocarbon-oxidizing Acinetobacter species HO1-N; Scott CC et al.; The ultrastructure of Acinetobacter sp . strain HO1-N grown on hydrocarbon and nonhydrocarbon substrates was compared using thin sections and freeze-etching . Hydrocarbon-grown cells were characterized by the presence of intracytoplasmic membrane-bound hexadecane inclusions . This membrane did not exhibit a typical unit membrane structure but appeared as a monolayer . The freeze-etch technique revealed the internal structure of the hexadecane inclusions and provided evidence for the presence of a smooth-surfaced limiting membrane . Freeze-etching also revealed intracytoplasmic membranes in the hexadecane-grown cells . These ultrastructural modifications were not present in nonhydrocarbon-grown cells . The hexadecane inclusions were isolated from Acinetobacter . Negative-staining of the inclusions revealed electron-transparent vesicles approximating the size of the inclusions seen in whole cells . Freeze-etching of the purified inclusions revealed membrane-bound vesicles . The purified inclusions exhibited a relatively high value of lipid phosphorus to protein . The lipid composition and the electrophoretic banding pattern of the inclusions on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels were determined and compared with other membrane fractions (outer membrane and cytoplasmic membrane) previously isolated from this organism. J Bacteriol, 1976 Jul, 127(1), 469 - 80 Isolation and characterization of membranes from a hydrocarbon-oxidizing Acinetobacter sp; Scott CC et al.; Membranes were isolated and purified from nutrient broth-yeast extract- and hexadecane-grown cells of Acinetobacter sp . strain HO1-N . Two membrane fractions were isolated from nutrient broth-yeast extract-grown cells, the cytoplasmic membrane and the outer membrane . In addition to these two membrane fractions, a unique membrane fraction was isolated from hexadecane-grown cells (band 1) and characterized as a lipid-rich, low-density membrane containing high concentrations of hexadecane . The outer membrane preparations of Acinetobacter, obtained from nutrient broth-yeast extract- and hexadecane-grown cells, exhibited a low ratio of lipid phosphorus to protein and contained phospholipase activity and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid . Phosphatidic acid cytidyltransferase, adenosine triphosphatase, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase were recovered almost exclusively in the cytoplasmic membrane fractions . The cytoplasmic membrane fractions contained 20 to 25 polypeptide species on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, and the outer membrane fractions contained 15 to 20 polypeptide species . A major polypeptide species with an apparent molecular weight of approximately 42,000 to 44,000 was found for all outer membrane fractions . The buoyant densities of the cytoplasmic membrane fractions and the outer membrane fractions were closely similar, necessitating their separation by differential centrifugation . Band 1 of hexadecane-grown cells had a ratio of lipid phosphorus to protein that was almost twice that of cytoplasmic membrane and a correspondingly low buoyant density (1.086 g/cm3) . Enzyme activities associated with band 1 were identical to those associated with the cytoplasmic membrane . The electrophoretic banding pattern of band 1 was essentially identical to the banding pattern of the cytoplasmic membrane . The phospholipid and neutral lipid compositions of the isolated membrane fractions were determined as qualitatively similar, with significant quantitative differences . The ultrastructure characteristics of the respective membrane fractions were examined by the negative-stain technique. J Bacteriol, 1976 Jul, 127(1), 536 - 44 Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus: purification and properties; Patel RN et al.; Procedures for the purification of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from extracts of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain ADP-96 are described . The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by ultracentrifugation and acrylamide gel electrophoresis . The enzyme contained 2 g-atoms of iron per mol of protein . The enzyme had a broad substrate specificity and catalyzed the oxidation of catechol, 4-methylcatechol, 3-methylcatechol, and 3-isopropyl catechol . The activity of the enzyme was inhibited by heavy metals, sulfhydryl inhibitors, and substrate analogues . The molecular weight of the enzyme was 85,000 as estimated by filtration on Bio-Gel agarose and 81,000 as estimated by sedimentation equilibrium analysis . The subunit size determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis was 40,000 . The amino terminal amino acid was methionine . The amino acid composition and spectral properties of 1,2-dioxygenase are also presented . Antisera prepared against the purified enzyme cross-reacted and inhibited enzyme activity in crude extracts from the other strain of A . calcoaceticus, but failed to cross-react and inhibit isofunctional enzyme from organisms of the genera Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, and Nocardia. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Jun 7, 438(1), 287 - 95 Purification and properties of L-asparaginase B from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Joner PE; L-Asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.1) B from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus has been purified by precipitation with streptomycin, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose, gel filtration on Agarose and chromatography on phosphocellulose . The molecular weight of the enzyme was found to be 130 000 . The enzyme was rather insensitive to pH changes between 7 and 9 . The Michaelis constant was 3-10(-3) M . Hg2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ as well as high ionic strength inhibited the activity of the enzyme, whereas citrate seemed to stimulate the activity . The enzyme catalyzed the deamination of L-glutamine to about the same extent as L-asparagine . The temperature stability of the enzyme is also reported . The enzyme had a weak tumor inhibitory power. J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Jun, 3(6), 566 - 75 Rapid method for identification of gram-negative, nonfermentative bacilli; Otto LA et al.; A rapid system (OA), based on oxidative attack of substrates, was developed for identification of gram-negative, nonfermentative bacillia (NFB) . One hundred and twelve strains of NFB from 25 species (representing the genera Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Acinetobacter, Bordetella, Flavobacterium, Moraxella, and Xanthomonas) were assayed by OA, buffered single substrate, and oxidative/fermentative methods . The 38 substrates consisted of salts of organic acids, nitrogen-containing compounds, alcohols, and carbohydrates . Ninety-four percent of the test strains were identified by the OA method in 24 h, and 99% were identifiable in 48 h . Reproducibility was 99% . Correlation with buffered single substrate was 98% (all substrates) and 90% with the oxidative/fermentative method (carbohydrates only) . Biochemical profiles of all strains are presented, as well as tables showing the most useful tests for identification. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1976 May, 113(5), 695 - 9 Bacteremic Acinetobacter Herellea pneumonia with survival: case report; Wallace RJ Jr et al.; A case of community-acquired pneumonia with Acinetobacter calcoacetium var . anitratus (Herellea vaginicola) is presented . Initial leukopenia and spare leukocytes in the sputum, followed by prolonged leukocytosis and fever, were unusual features of this case . The clinical significance and current antimicrobial drug therapy of acinetobacter infections are discussed. J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Apr, 93(2), 355 - 60 RP4-mediated conjugation in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Towner KJ et al.; The P class R factor RP4 was transferred from Escherichia coli K12 to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . RP4 conferred similar levels of antibiotic resistance in A . calcoaceticus to those in the E . coli K12 donor . Only slight instability of RP4 in A . calcoaceticus was detected . Transfer of RP4 between strains of A . calcoaceticus was by conjugation and was accompanied by transfer of chromosomal genes . Possible polarity of marker transfer was observed and linkage between a number of chromosomal markers was demonstrated. Eur J Biochem, 1976 Mar 16, 63(1), 175 - 92 The purification and properties of cyclohexanone oxygenase from Nocardia globerula CL1 and Acinetobacter NCIB 9871; Donoghue NA et al.; 1 . Cyclohexanone oxygenases from Norcardia globerula CL1 and Acinetobacter NCIB 9871 have been purified 12-fold and 35-fold respectively and each gives a single symmetrical sedimentation peak in the ultracentrifuge and a single protein band on 2.25 nm average pore radius polyacrylamide gels . 2 . The enzyme from N . globerula has a molecular weight of 53000 while that from Acinetobacter has a molecular weight of about 59000 . Each is a single polypeptide chain with one mole of bound FAD per mole of protein that does not dissociate during purification . Acidification of the Acinetobacter enzyme in the presence of (NH4)2SO4 releases the bound FAD and yields native apoenzyme from which the active holoenzyme can be reconstituted . The apparent dissociation constant for the FAD is 40 nM. Jpn J Antibiot, 1976 Mar, 29(3), 332 - 9 {Clinical trials with amoxicillin (Pasetocin 'Kyowa') on infections of respiratory apparatus (author's transl)}; Horiuchi N et al.; Amoxicillin at a daily dose of 1-1.5 g was orally administered to total 30 cases comprising 6 of acute tonsillitis, 6 of chronic tonsillitis, 8 of acute bronchitis, 4 of chronic bronchitis, 4 of bronchiectasis, 1 of suppurative diseases of the lung and 1 of exudative pleurisy . The clinical results and side effects are reported . 1 . The effect of amoxicillin was remarkably good in 15 of 30 cases with infections of respiratory apparatus (50%), good in 7(23%), poor in 5(17%) and unknown in 3(10%); the effectiveness was 73% . 2 . In terms of diseases, amoxicillin was effective in 33% of acute tonsillitis, in 50% of chronic tonsillitis and in all of acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasia and suppurative disease of the lung . No effect was observed in exudative pleurisy . 3 . In terms of strains detected, amoxicillin was effective in 67% of Staphylococcus aureus, in 89% of Haemophilus and in 50% of Klebsiella . This drug was effective in all cases caused by Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter calcoacetines, beta-Streptococcus, Flavobacterium, Streptococcus pneumonia, though these strains were not frequently detected . Pseudomonas aeruginosa had no response to this drug . 4 . Two cases of transient hepatic dysfunction, 6 of eruption, 5 of gastro-intestinal disorders, 1 of arthralgia and 1 of pyrexia were observed as side effects (some cases had side effects in overlap). J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Mar, 3(3), 344 - 9 Gingival flora of the dog with special reference to bacteria associated with bites; Saphir DA et al.; Gingival scrapings from dogs were examined to determine their aerobic bacterial flora . Of particular interest was the frequent recovery of three unclassified groups of aerobic gram-negative bacteria, IIj, EF-4, and M-5, previously associated with human dog-bite infections . Although no set pattern was found between the variability and consistency of gingival microbiota as related to age, sex, or breed of dog, a certain characteristic flora can be predicted in the healthy canine gingiva . Members of the following genera were found: Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Actinomyces, Escherichia, Corynebacterium, Pasteurella, Caryophanon, Mycoplasma, Acinetobacter, Moraxella, Neisseria, Enterobacter, and Bacillus. Can J Microbiol, 1976 Mar, 22(3), 423 - 8 Biodegradation of petroleum by Chesapeake Bay sediment bacteria; Walker JD et al.; Chesapeake Bay sediment bacteria from oil-contaminated and oil-free environments were compared for their ability to utilize a South Louisiana crude oil . Preferential solubility, column chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and computerized mass spectrometry were used to provide new and useful information regarding biodegradation of fractions and components of the crude oil . Vibrio, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter spp . were isolated from the culture inoculated with oil-contaminated sediment, whereas coryneforms and Pseudomonas spp . were isolated from the culture inoculated with oil-free sediment . Microorganisms from the oil-free sediment produced greater quantities of polar n-pentane-insoluble components (asphaltenes) after degradation, whereas microorganisms from the oil-contaminated sediments provided greater degradation of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. Biochemistry, 1976 Feb 10, 15(3), 582 - 8 Protocatechuate 3, 4-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Hou CT et al.; Protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (PCD) from p-hydroxybenzoate-induced cells of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was purified by heat and protamine sulfate treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose, and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography . The enzyme appears to be homogeneous by ultracentrifugation and acrylamide gel electrophoresis . This is the first report of PCD purified from Acinetobacter . For comparison, crystalline Pseudomonas PCD was also obtained . The enzymes from Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas are quite similar in their molecular weight, molecular size, and iron content . The specific enzyme activity of PCD from Acinetobacter is about one-third of that from Pseudomonas, despite their similar iron content . Visible and circular dichroism spectra indicate some conformational differences between these two enzymes . Protocatechualdehyde, a competitive deadend inhibitor, binds Pseudomonas PCD more effectively than Acinetobacter PCD . p-Hydroxymercuribenzoate, specific for free-SH groups, inhibits only Acinetobacter PCD and shows no effect on Pseudomonas PCD . Amino acid analyses reveal very low proline and methionine content with higher lysine, glutamic acid, and isoleucine compositions for Acinetobacter PCD . Other properties, including active center conformation, were studied and discussed. J Bacteriol, 1976 Feb, 125(2), 719 - 27 Physical properties of L-asparaginase from Serratia marcescens; Stern ML et al.; Purified L-asparaginase from Serratia marcescens had an apparent-weight average molecular weight of 171,000 to 180,000 as determined by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels and by sedimentation equilibrium at low speed in an analytical ultracentrifuge . A subunit molecular weight of 31,500 +/- 1,500 was estimated for the enzyme after treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate and urea and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels; a similar value was obtained by high-speed sedimentation equilibrium in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride . Our data indicate that the Serratia enzyme could have five or six subunits of 32,000 daltons, compared to four subunits of 32,000 daltons in the Escherichia coli enzyme . The Serratia L-asparaginase also appears to be a larger molecule than the enzyme from Erwinia carotovora, Proteus vulgaris, Acinetobacter glutaminasificans, and Alcaligenes eutrophus . The Serratia enzyme, like that from E . caratovora, was more resistant than the E . coli enzyme to dissociation by sodium dodecyl sulfate . This resistance could be due to the finding that the Serratia enzyme had a relatively high hydrophobicity, similar to the enzyme from E . caratovora, when compared with the hydrophobicity of the E . coli enzyme . The isoelectric point of the Serratia enzyme was approximately 5.2 . The influence of certain physical characteristics of the enzyme on the biological properties is discussed. J Bacteriol, 1976 Feb, 125(2), 435 - 43 Preparations and properties of ribonucleic acid polymerase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Kleppe RK et al.; Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-dependent ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase (EC 2.7.7.6) from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was purified to apparent homogeneity and its properties were compared with those of the Escherichia coli B enzyme . The molecular weights of the two native active enzymes as well as their alpha and beta subunits appeared to be similar . No subunit corresponding to that of sigma from E . coli was found, and furthermore no separation between the beta subunits could be detected by gel electrophoresis . A number of different DNAs were transcribed by the enzyme from A . calcoaceticus . Maximal RNA synthesis occurred at pH 8.7, 10 mM Mg2+, or 0.3 mM Mn2+ and at a total ionic strength of 0.1 . Higher ionic strengths led to increasing inhibition of transcription and at mu = 0.4 complete inhibition was observed . The mechanism of inhibition of salt was not related to the initiation event as observed with T4 core RNA polymerase (R.Kleppe, 1975) . In an attempt to understand the mechanism of inhibition by salt, the effect of ionic strength on the sedimentation properties of the enzyme was investigated . At low ionic strength, enzyme species with sedimentation coefficients, s20,w, of 5.8S, 12.4S, and 19.3S were present . In buffers with higher ionic strengths the relative amounts of the 12.4S species decreased . It is suggested, therefore, that the inhibition of activity at higher salt concentrations is caused by a decrease in concentration of the active enzyme species. Acta Biol Med Ger, 1976, 35(3-4), 443 - 51 {Isolation and characterization of rubredoxin from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus}; Aurich H et al.; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus growing on long-chain n-alkanes contains a soluble iron-sulfur protein, which corresponds in its properties to a rubredoxin . It was prepared from the 50000 X g supernatant of ultrasonically treated cells using ion exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 . The isolated protein is pure electrophoretically, but yields two bands corresponding to molecular weights of 6000 and 12000 respectively . A content of 11 acidic against 6 basic amino acids is in line with the acidic character of the protein . The absence of acid-labile sulfur, content of 4 cysteine residues and one iron atom per polypeptide chain and the typical absorption maxima at gamma = 280, 380, and 490 nm exclude the presence of a ferredoxin . Involvement of the rubredoxin in the alkane hydroxylation is discussed. Microbios, 1976, 17(70), 221 - 30 Prevalence and characterization of resistance to gentamicin in gram-negative bacteria; Suenderhauf U et al.; A survey of the occurrence of resistance to gentamicin in clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria revealed a 3-fold increase in the percentage of resistant strains between 1974 (4%), and 1976 (12%) . Gentamicin resistance was mainly found in isolates from hospitalized patients . Serratia (35--78%), Proteus inconstans (53--62%), Klebsiella (6--21%), Acinetobacter (9--17%) and Pseudomonas (9--14%) exhibited the highest percentage of resistance to this drug . Gentamicin inactivating enzymes were detected in 16 selected resistant isolates . Of these, ten strains (Klebsiella, Serratia, Pseudomonas, E . coli) produced the aminoglycoside 2''-adenylyltransferase, five (Proteus, indole-positive) the aminoglycoside 2'-N-acetyltransferase and one isolate (Proteus mirabilis) the aminoglycoside 3-N-acetyltransferase . Eight of the 16 strains were able to transfer gentamicin resistance and certain other resistance markers to appropriate receptor strains during mixed cultivation, indicating the presence of transferable plasmid-mediated resistance. Ann Sclavo, 1976 Jan-Feb, 18(1), 91 - 119 {Bacterial flora of the conjunctival sac of the horse}; Cattabiani F et al.; The AA . report the results of taxonomic research conducted on the conjunctival sac of 59 horses for identification of the present bacterial flora . In the controlled animals, it was observed, at the level of the considered niche, a community constituted of normal bacterial populations, but not autochtonous in the significance they attributed from DUBOS et al., relative to the characterization of the indigenous microbiota of the intestine . The isolated normal bacterial flora seems to be constituted of: Micrococcus (subgroup 6 of Baird-Parker, M . luteus, Micrococcus spp.) isolated in 49,15% of the samples; Staphylococcus aureus and St . epidermidis (18,64%); Moraxella osloensis, M . phenylpiruvica, M . equi and Moraxella spp . (11,86%); Bacillus cereus (11,86%); Neisseria catarrhalis (8,47%); Streptococcus equi and Str . zooepidemicus (6,77%); Corynebacterium spp . (6,77%) and Acinetobacter lwoffi (5,08%) . The AA . have found, besides, a particular group of bacteria of uncertain classification, attributed to the coryneforms and found in 30,50% of the examined horses . So-called transient bacteria taxa have been considered are Streptomyces spp., isolated in the 10,16% of the controlled subjects, Aerococcus viridans and Bacillus spp . found in only one equine. Acta Biol Med Ger, 1976, 35(10), 1267 - 72 {Purification and various properties of NADP+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus}; Tauchert H et al.; The constitutive NADP+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus can be accumulated about 50 fold in 3 purification steps . The end-product shows in the analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis only one active enzyme band . The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be 235,000 by gel chromatography on Sephadex G 200, the smallest subunit shows a molecular weight of 61 000 on SDS electrophoresis . The isoelectric point is at 5.84 . The KM values determined with primary aliphatic alcohols diminish in the range of the homologous order (C2--C10) with growing chain length . The KM value for hexanal is about 20 fold less than that for 1-hexanol. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 30(6), 1036 - 9 Evaluation of petroleum-degrading potential of bacteria from water and sediment; Walker JD et al.; Bacteria from water and sediment of an oil-polluted harbor were examined for ability to degrade petroleum . Water samples contained a greater variety of bacterial species capable of degrading petroleum than sediment . Cultures from both water and sediment contained Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp . Bacteria present in the water samples produced significantly greater degradation of 2-,3-,4-, and 5-ring cycloalkanes and mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentaaromatics compared with bacteria in sediment samples. J Gen Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 91(2), 325 - 37 Regulation of growth of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 on L-mandelate in batch culture; Cook AM et al.; Batch culture of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus in L-mandelate- or phenylglyoxylate-salts medium showed an unusual non-exponential pattern unless the inoculum had been grown on benzyl alcohol . There were transient accumulations of benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol caused by the limitation of L-mandelate oxidation by low activities of benzaldehyde dehydrogenase and the diversion of reducing power to the formation of benzyl alcohol . In vivo enzymic activities were estimated from patterns of substrate utilization in batch cultures containing pairs of substrates . When bacteria previously grown in L-mandelate-salts medium were inoculated into media containing L-mandelate and a second carbon source, metabolism of L-mandelate was arithmetical in the presence of benzoate, catechol or succinate, but accelerated on exhaustion of the second substrate . This indicated repression of the enzymes involved in L-mandelate oxidation . Inoculation of bacteria grown in benzoate-salts medium into medium containing L-mandelate and benzoate gave diauxie with initial utilization of benzoate . Similar experiments showed that benzoate oxidation was not repressed by catechol and only partially repressed by succinate . Measurement of L-mandelate dehydrogenase, phenylglyoxylate carboxy-lyase and benzaldehyde dehydrogenase I in bacterial extracts showed no evidence for feedback inhibition by intermediates of the pathway . The rates of L-mandelate and benzoate utilization by bacterial suspensions were inhibited by succinate and catechol but not by other intermediates of the pathway. J Gen Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 91(2), 338 - 44 The induction of mutants of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 and their selection by vancomycin; Ahlquist EF et al.; The mutagenic and lethal effects of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG), ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), ultraviolet light irradiation and near-ultraviolet light irradiation with 8-methoxypsoralen on the bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 were examined . The production of auxotrophic mutants was used as a measure of mutagenic efficiency . Under appropriate conditions all four agents were mutagenic . EMS and NTG although more effective than irradiation, did not cause such a high frequency of mutation as has been observed with other bacteria . A combination of vancomycin and penicillin V gave enrichment of non-metabolizing bacteria and optimum conditions were found for the use of these compounds in a selection technique. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand Suppl, 1975 Dec, 83(6), 569 - 80 Gas chromatography of bacterial whole cell methanolysates . VII . Fatty acid composition of Acinetobacter in relation to the taxonomy of Neisseriaceae; Jantzen E et al.; The cellular fatty acids of seventeen Acinetobacter strains were determined . Most acids identified were previously found in neisseriae and moraxellae . Specific for Acinetobacter was 2-hydroxydodecanoid acid and a few minor unidentified components . The fatty acid data were analysed by numerical methods and compared with previous results obtained for neisseriae and moraxellae . The findings were consistent with genetic evidence for some affinities of genus Acinetobacter to genus Moraxella and "false neisseriae" . Occasionally, a high resemblance in fatty acid pattern was demonstrated between a Moraxella strain and certain strains of Acinetobacter, and also between an Acinetobacter strain and certain "true neisseriae" . Still, the acinetobacters constituted one single cluster separated from the other genera of Neisseriaceae. J Gen Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 91(2), 338 - 44 The induction of mutants of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 and their selection by Vancomycin; Ahlquist EF et al.; The mutagenic and lethal effects of N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG), ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), ultraviolet light iffadiation and near-ultraviolet light irradiation with 8-methoxypsoralen on the bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 were examined . The production of auxotrophic mutants was used as a measure of mutagenic efficiency . Under appropriate conditions all four agents were mutagenic . EMS and NTG although more effective than irradiation, did not cause such a high frequency of mutation as has been observed with other bacteria . A combination of vancomycin and penicillin V gave enrichment of non-metabolizing bacteria and optimum conditions were found for the use of these compounds in a selection technique. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 21(12), 2103 - 8 Characteristics of a facultatively psychrophilic Acinetobacter species isolated from river sediment; Breuil C et al.; A facultatively psychrophilic bacterium isolated from river sediment was identified as an Acinetobacter species, similar to those previously characterized as A . lwoffi . The strain was extremely lipolytic and hemolytic . Some action on crude oil was also observed . The organism was able to utilize a wide variety of carbon and energy sources when tested at both 20 and 30 degrees C . A comparison is made with the previously proposed type strain of A . lwoffi . The bacteria had a Gram-negative cell wall containing an electron-dense intermediate layer . Cell division occurred with the formation of a septum and slight constriction. Eur J Biochem, 1975 Dec 1, 60(1), 1 - 7 The metabolism of cyclohexanol by Acinetobacter NCIB 9871; Donoghue NA et al.; Acinetobacter NCIB 9871 was isolated by elective culture on cyclohexanol and grows with this compound as sole source of carbon . It displays a restricted growth spectrum, being unable to grow on a wide range of alternative alicyclic alcohols and ketones . Cyclohexanol-grown cells oxidize the growth substrate at a rate of 230 mul of O2/h per mg dry wt with the consumption of 5.65 mumol of O2/mumol substrate . Cyclohexanone is oxidized at a similar rate with the consumption of 4.85 mumol of O2/mumol . 1-Oxa-2-oxocycloheptane and 6-hydroxyhexanoate are both oxidized at the same slow rate of 44 mul of O2/h per mg dry wt and adipate is not oxidized . Studies with cell extracts reveal the presence of inducible dehydrogenases for cyclohexanol, 6-hydroxyhexanoate and 6-oxohexanoate and a monooxygenase, that in conjunction with a lactonase converts cyclohexanone to 6-hydroxyhexanoate . The monooxygenase is therefore presumed to be of the lactone-forming type and the pathway for conversion of cyclohexanol to adipate; cyclohexanol leads to cyclohexanone leads to 1-oxa-2-oxocycloheptane leads to 6-hydroxyhexanoate leads to 6-oxohexanoate leads to adipate; for which key intermediates have been identified chromatographically, is identical with the route for the oxidation of cyclohexanol by Nocardia globerula CL1. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 Oct 9, 404(2), 169 - 79 Metabolism of monofluorobenzoates by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus N.C.I.B . 8250 . Formation of monofluorocatechols; Clarke KF et al.; None of the monofluorobenzoates serves as sole source of carbon and energy for growth of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus but all can contribute to growth on other substrates . The monofluorobenzoates are oxidised by bacteria pre-induced for benzoate oxidation and can themselves induce the appropriate enzymes . The initial products of oxidation have been separated and identified by gas-liquid chromatography . 2-Flurobenzoate is oxidised to catechol, fluoride and 3-fluorocatechol; 3-fluorobenzoate gives 3- and 4-fluorocatechol; 4-fluorobenzoate gives 4-fluorocatechol . The fluorocatechols appear to be partially oxidised beyond the stage of 3-oxoadipate by suitably pre-induced bacteria. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 21(10), 1654 - 7 Mutualistic degradation of the lignin model compound veratrylglycerol-beta-(o-methoxyphenyl) ether by bacteria; Crawford RL; Complete degradation of the lignin model compound veratrylglycerol-beta-(o-methoxyphenyl) ether is accomplished mutualistically by a two-membered bacterial culture . Bacterial isolate E1, which has been tentatively identified as an Acinetobacter, grows on veratrylglycerol-beta-(o-methoxyphenyl) ether producing guaiacol (o-methoxyphenol) as a non-metabolizable, bacteriocidal by-product . When Nocardia corallina (strain A81) is also present in media containing veratrylglycerol-beta-(o-methoxyphenyl) ether as the only carbon/energy source, it is able to grow on the guaiacol produced from veratrylglycerol-beta-(o-methoxyphenyl) ether by isolate E1 . Strain A81 alone does not grow on veratrylglycerol-beta-(o-methoxyphenyl) ether . In the absence of strain A81, isolate E1 is rapidly killed by accumulated guaiacol . In the presence of the Nocardia, isolate E1 maintains its viability. Aust N Z J Med, 1975 Oct, 5(5), 435 - 9 Acinetobacter anitratus infections in man; Thong ML; During a period of 17 months, 142 strains of Acinetobacter anitratus were isolated from 140 patients . They were examined for biochemical characteristics, antibiotic susceptibilities to 15 chemotherapeutic drugs and clinical and epidemiologic features . Biochemical studies were necessary for positive identification of this gram negative rod . Many isolates were susceptible to kanamycin, gentamicin, polymixin B, cotrimoxazole and nalidixic acid . Most isolates were hospital acquired and had been cultured from a number of anatomic sites in the presence of a variety of clinical situations . Acinetobacter anitratus was the primary infecting organism in two cases of septicaemia (one fatal), two pneumonias, two wound infections and six urinary tract infections . Because of its potential pathogenicity this organism should not be dismissed as a harmless commensal by laboratory staff and clinicians. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Sep, 21(9), 1322 - 34 {Numerical analysis of telluric nonfermenting Gram-negative bacteria}; Debette J et al.; A numerical analysis was carried out from a set of 165 telluric Gram-negative bacterial strains . The results allowed to join up 130 of them divided into eight phenons . Two of these phenons represent on their own 70% of the classified strains . The first of these phenons (52 strains) can be assimilated to the genus Pseudomonas in the fluorescent group; the second one (41 strains) offers some analogies with the Acinetobacter . A representative strain type of the latter phenon was retained for later taxonomic comparisons. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Sep, 30(3), 381 - 5 Distribution and persistence of Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species and other aerobic bacteria on human skin; Kloos WE et al.; The districution of Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species and associated coryneform bacteria, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Bacillus, and Streptomyces on skin was determined during October 1971 from samples collected on persons living in North Carolina and New Jersey . Persistence of these organisms on skin was estimated in temporal studies conducted during the period from June 1971 to June 1972 on persons living in North Carolina . Staphylococci and coryneforms were the most predominant and persistent bacteria isolated from the nares and axillae . Staphylococci, coryneforms, micrococci, and Bacillus were the most predominant and persistent bacteria isolated from the head, legs, and arms . Acinetobacters were most frequently isolated during the warmer months of the years . Staphylococcus aureus and S . epidermidis were the most predominant and persistent staphylococci isolated from the nares, whereas S . epidermidis and S . hominis were the most predominant and persistent staphylocicci isolated from the axillae, head, legs, and arms . S . capitis was often isolated from the head and arms and S . haemolyticus was often isolated from the head, legs, and arms . S . simulans, S . xylosus, S . cohnii, S . saprophyticus, S . warneri, and an unclassified coagulase-positive species were only occasionally isolated from skin . Micrococcus luteus was the most predominant and persistent Micrococcus isolated from skin and preferred regions of the head, legs, and arms . M . varians was the second most frequent Micrococcus isolated . M . lylae, M . sedentarius, M . roseus, M . kristinae, and M . nishinomiyaensis were only occasionally isolated from skin . M . lylae was most frequently isolated during the colder months of the years. J Biol Chem, 1975 Aug 25, 250(16), 6567 - 7 Beta-ketoadipate enol-lactone hydrolases I and II from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Patel RN et al.; Beta-Ketoadipate enol-lactone hydrolase catalyzes a common step in the utilization of protocatechuate and cis,cis-muconate by bacteria . Either of the two compounds elicits the synthesize of an enol-lactone hydrolase in Acinetobacter . The enol-lactone hydrolase that is induced by each compound was purified, and the properties of the proteins were compared . Both enzymes appear to be dimers with molecular weights of approximately 25,000 . The amino acid compositions of the enzymes differ, and the two proteins do not cross-react serologically . The NH2-terminal amino acid residue of the protocatechuate-induced enol-lactone hydrolase (ELH I) is methionine and the NH2-terminal amino acid residue of the cis,cis-muconate-induced enol-lactone hydrolase (ELH II) is proline . Therefore, ELH I and ELH II appear to be the products of different structural genes . The serological specificity of ELH I and ELH II made it possible to demonstrate the mutually independent regulation of their synthesis in wild type cells and in constitutive mutant strains . The synthesis of ELH I is not impaired in mutant strains that cannot synthesize ELH II . The rapid characterization of mutant strains that produce ELH I or ELH II constitutively was made possible by the development of pH indicator enzyme assays that were performed with toluenized cells . cis,trans-Muconate, which does not support the growth of Acinetobacter, elicits the synthesis of the enzymes that normally are induced by cis,cis-muconate to 20% of fully induced levels. J Med Microbiol, 1975 Aug, 8(3), 443 - 6 Observations on the growth and movement of Acinetobacter on semi-solid media; Barker J et al.; The growth of 29 strains of Acinetobacter spp . on semi-solid media was studied; 19 showed surface swarming and 14 produced channels ("ditches") in the agar that do not seem to have been described previously . An attempt was made to define the cultural and physical conditions for the demonstration of these phenomena . Possible taxonomic implications are discussed. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1975 Aug, 83(4), 382 - 6 Common enterobacterial antigen in Yersinia enterocolitica; Maeland JA et al.; Production of the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) by strains of Yersinia enterocolitica (Y.e.) serotypes 3 and 9 (Winblad), by strains of 5 different Y.e . serogroups (Wauters) and various other bacteria was examined . Antibody against CA was raised by immunization of rabbits with E . coli O 14 . Extract prepared from S . typhimurium was used for the sensitization of sheep erythrocytes with CA . Absorption and haemagglutination inhibition experiments showed that CA could be detected in heat extracts from all Y.e . strains examined, and in that from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis . CA was not detected in extracts from Pasteurella multocida, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Anti-CA antibodies could not be demonstrated in serum from rabbits immunized with Y.e . bacteria, but were demonstrated in serum from rabbits immunized with a CA-containing fraction of the Y.e . extract . The possibility of participation of anti-CA antibody in indirect haemagglutination tests for detection of antibody to Y.e . O antigens is emphasized. Ukr Biokhim Zh, 1975 Jul-Aug, 47(4), 422 - 7 {Effect on growing conditions on protein content and amino acid composition of acinetobacter calcoaticus}; Kleber HP et al.; The protein content and amino acid composition of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were studied as dependent on the stages of development and different hydrocarbon sources . The protein content was always the greatest at the logarithmic stage and decreased approaching the stationary stage . When cultivating on different hyrocarbon sources only an insignificant differedce in the content of protein was observed . A relative amino acid composition of Ac . calcoaceticus remained practically constant during the growth up to the stationary stage . When using different sources of hydrocarbon no changes were found in the relative composition of amino acids as well as in the total content of protein. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Jul, 30(1), 72 - 8 Microbiological characteristics of Dungeness crab (Cancer magister); Lee JS et al.; Aerobic, heterotropic microorganisms of Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) were isolated from raw crab, cooked crab, crab meats obtained during commercial processing, and from retail crab meat samples . Each microbial isolate was then identified to the genus level employing the revised replica plating procedure . Microbial groups most commonly isolated from crab meat were, in the order of predominance, Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Arthrobacter, Micrococcus, Flavobacterium-Cytophaga, and Bacillus sp . Proteus, Staphylococcus, yeasts, Vibrio, and Lactobacillus sp . were found less frequetly in some samples . Distribution patterns of microbial flora in crab meat revealed the presence of three classes of microorganisms . Microorganisms that originated from the raw crab and gained predominance by growth during refrigerated storage were Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Flavobacterium-Cytophaga sp . Those that originated from the crab but did not grow in meat were Arthrobacter and Bacillus sp . Micrococc