HISTOPLASMA CAPSULATUM: OCCURRENCE IN SOIL FROM THE EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION OF ITALY

The existence of an area in Europe in which histoplasmosis is endemic was revealed by the isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from soil. The soil specimen was collected in a chicken yard on a farm near Bologna, Italy. The Emilia-Romagna region had been selected for study because several, apparently autochthonous, human cases of histoplasmosis had originated there.

HYDROLYSIS OF FIBROUS COTTON AND REPRECIPITATED CELLULOSE BY CELLULOLYTIC ENZYMES FROM SOIL MICRO-ORGANISMS

1. The action of cell-free filtrates from Trichoderma koningii was examined on undegraded cellulose in the form of cotton fibres, on degraded cellulose in the form of cellulose powder reprecipitated from phosphoric acid and on the soluble cellulose derivative CM-cellulose. 2. The cell-free filtrates compare favourably with intact cellulolytic micro-organisms in producing complete solubilization of undegraded as well as of degraded types of cellulose. Enzymic solubilization of cotton fibres gives quantitative conversion into glucose. Cellobiase is present. 3. The early enzymic breakdown of cotton fibres is characterized by the formation of very short fibres that increase to a maximum and disappear gradually by conversion into glucose. Disintegration of cotton fibres to short fibres is assisted by shaking, and within 20hr. the enzyme converts a minor fraction (up to 16%) of substrate into soluble products and a major portion (80%) into insoluble short fibres. 4. Maximum enzymic activity on cotton fibres occurs at about pH5.0, measured by the formation of short fibres, and at about pH3.8 on reprecipitated cellulose, measured by solubilization of the substrate. 5. Gluconolactone, glucose and cellobiose fail to produce marked inhibition of the enzymic hydrolysis of cotton fibres to short fibres or of the solubilization of reprecipitated cellulose unless present in amounts comparable with or greater than the initial weight of these two forms of cellulose. 6. The heavy-metal ions Cu(2+), Hg(2+) and Fe(3+) at 2mm concentration give 80-100% decrease in the enzymic breakdown of cotton fibres, measured by the formation of short fibres. At the same concentration Hg(2+) and Fe(3+) but not Cu(2+) also produce 70-100% inhibition of the solubilization of reprecipitated cellulose. 7. The ability to hydrolyse cotton fibres to short fibres and CM-cellulose to sugars is completely lost after heating enzyme preparations for 10min. at 71 degrees .

MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF ISOPROPYL-N-3 -CHLOROPHENYLCARBAMATE AND 2-CHLOROETHYL-N-3-CHLOROPHENYLCARBAMATE

Microbial degradation of isopropyl-N-3-chlorophenylcarbamate (CIPC) and 2-chloroethyl-N-3-chlorophenylcarbamate (CEPC) was observed in a soil perfusion system. Degradation in perfused soils, and by pure cultures of effective bacterial isolates, was demonstrated by the production of 3-chloroaniline and the subsequent liberation of free chloride ion. Identified isolates effective in degrading and utilizing CIPC as a sole source of carbon included Pseudomonas striata Chester, a Flavobacterium sp., an Agrobacterium sp., and an Achromobacter sp. Identified isolates, effective in degrading and utilizing CEPC as a sole source of carbon, included an Achromobacter sp. and an Arthrobacter sp. CIPC-effective isolates degraded CEPC more slowly than CIPC, whereas CEPC-effective isolates degraded CIPC more rapidly than CEPC. Both CIPC- and CEPC-effective isolates degraded isopropyl N-phenylcarbamate (IPC) more rapidly than either CIPC or CEPC.

MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF CORRINOIDS. I. VITAMIN B12

Scott, W. M. (Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich.), R. C. Burgus, J. B. Hufham, and J. J. Pfiffner. Microbial degradation of corrinoids. I. Vitamin B(12). J. Bacteriol. 88:581-585. 1964.-Microorganisms isolated from a variety of soil, sewage, and mud samples, and stock cultures, were examined for the ability to degrade vitamin B(12). More than 200 isolates which attack the vitamin were examined, and they all demonstrated reversible fading of the red vitamin. The color was restored by aeration. Very few microorganisms were able to degrade the vitamin to permanently colorless products, although many were able to degrade it partially, to produce new pigments. Some of these pigments appeared similar, if not identical, although they were produced by different bacteria. Radiotracer and electrophoretic mobility data are presented to show that the transformation products are derived from the vitamin. All the degradative microorganisms isolated were bacteria, and the most active was Pseudomonas rubescens.

ISOLATION OF CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI FROM SOIL

Sanada, Ichiro (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), and Shoki Nishida. Isolation of Clostridium tetani from soil. J. Bacteriol. 89:626-629. 1965.-The higher the temperatures applied to soil specimens, the weaker the toxigenicity of Clostridium tetani strains isolated from them. The glucose- and maltose-fermenting ability of these isolates was inversely proportional to their toxigenicity. The biological properties of atoxic strains were indistinguishable from those of C. tetanomorphum. Since a considerable number of toxic strains fermented glucose and maltose, these criteria are of doubtful value for differentiating C. tetani from C. tetanomorphum.

BACTERIA RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCILAGE-LAYER DECOMPOSITION IN KONA COFFEE CHERRIES

The predominant microbial flora present during decomposition of the mucilage layer of Kona coffee cherries were gram-negative bacteria which fermented lactose rapidly. Cultures isolated from coffee cherries under-going fermentation included species of Erwinia, Paracolobactrum, and Escherichia. Unblemished cherry surfaces and coffee plantation soil also had a microflora containing a high proportion of bacteria belonging to these three genera. Of 168 isolates tested, the 44 strains capable of demucilaging depulped coffee cherries were all members of Erwinia dissolvens. Supernatant growth medium liquids, after removal of E. dissolvens cells, actively decomposed the mucilage layer of depulped cherries.