N,N,N′-N′-Tetramethyl-p-Phenylenediamine-Dependent Cytochrome Oxidase Analyses of Bacillus Species
LIU, JONG-KANG and JURTSHUK, PETER,, 36, 38-46 (1986),
doi = https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-36-1-38,
publicationName = Microbiology Society,
issn = 1466-5026,
abstract= A total of 342 strains belonging to the genus Bacillus were examined for cytochrome oxidase activity by using a quantitative colorimetric N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) oxidase assay. The following three oxidase reaction groups were identified: (i) a highly oxidase-positive group, whose members oxidized TMPD with specific activities of more than 0.400 μmol/h per mg (dry weight); (ii) an oxidase-negative group, whose members were incapable of oxidizing TMPD (like Escherichia coli); and (iii) an intermediate group of strains designated the oxidase-indeterminate group, whose members oxidized TMPD at rates just slightly higher than the autooxidation rate. Of 293 mesophilic Bacillus strains analyzed 23% were oxidase positive, 47% were oxidase indeterminate, and 30% were oxidase negative. Of 37 thermophilic strains, 68% were highly oxidase positive. All of the psychrophiles tested (13 strains) gave oxidase-indeterminate reactions. Spectral analyses of the membranes of 58 Bacillus strains revealed that there was type c cytochrome(s) in all 39 oxidase-positive and oxidase-indeterminate strains. Cytochrome o was detected in all 58 strains, 27 strains contained cytochromes o and a+a 3, and 9 strains contained cytochromes o, a+a 3, and d. The remaining 22 strains contained cytochrome o exclusively. Analyses of 19 oxidase-negative strains revealed that 17 lacked type c cytochromes; the exceptions were Bacillus megaterium ATCC 14581T (T = type strain) and Bacillus pantothenticus No. 1T. All 19 oxidase-negative strains contained cytochrome o; 11 of these strains also contained cytochromes a+a 3, 4 strains contained cytochromes o, a+a 3, and d, and another 4 strains possessed cytochrome o exclusively as the sole terminal oxidase.,
language=,
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