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. 1969 Jul;18(1):114–121. doi: 10.1128/am.18.1.114-121.1969

Predominant Catalase-negative Soil Bacteria. II. Occurrence and Characterization of Actinomyces humiferus, sp. N1

William E Gledhill a,2, L E Casida Jr a
PMCID: PMC377904  PMID: 5803624

Abstract

A microorganism resembling an Actinomyces species was found to be a numerically predominant inhabitant of various organically rich soils. This organism forms a hyphal-like structure with true branching that fragments into gram-positive diphtheroid and coccoid elements. Its cells ferment carbohydrates and contain both lysine and ornithine as the major basic amino acids of the cell wall. It is catalase-negative, microaerophilic to aerobic, and sensitive to lysozyme, and it is dependent on an organic nitrogen source and incubation at 30 C for optimum growth. Based on these characteristics, a new species, Actinomyces humiferus, is proposed. The ecological and medical implications of a large soil population of this microorganism are discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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