Fermentation of Glucosamine Hydrochloride by Bacteria.

Abstract

With the exception of a few observations on glucosamine the fermentation reactions of micro-organisms on the hexosamines have not been studied. Inasmuch as these nitrogenous sugars contain a carbohydrate and an amino group, both of which are necessary for the growth of bacteria, an investigation of the metabolic activities of different organisms on these substances might be of value. Abderhalden and Fodor 1 reported that B. tenuis fermented glucosamine hydrochloride. Meyer 2 found that glucosamine hydrochloride was fermented by such organisms as he used in the same manner as glucose is fermented with the exception of B. paratyphosus A, which formed acid only in glucosamine. Noble and Knacke 3 found variations in the ability of different strains of B. diphtheriae and diphtheroid organisms to ferment glucosamine hydrochloride but no relationship between these differences and virulence. The organisms capable of fermenting glucose all fermented glucosamine hydrochloride except B. mesentericus, yeast and possibly B. proteus. The amount of acid formed by B. proteus was slight, the reaction delayed and transient, and therefore doubtful whether or not due to the fermentation of the glucosamine. B. paratyphosus A formed gas in glucosamine hydrochloride. This is contrary to the findings reported by Meyer.

B. coli and B. mucosus capsulatus grew well in a medium containing only inorganic salts and glucosamine hydrochloride. There was an accumulation of free ammonia in the medium indicating that deaminization is one part of the mechanism by which bacteria split a molecule of glucosamine. It is probable that it is the initial step leaving the hexose free to be acted on as such because in all cases observed, when an organism ferments glucosamine, the fermentation proceeds in the same manner as when that organism is acting on any monosaccharide.