Isolation and Characterization of an Anaerobic, Cellulolytic Bacterium, Clostridium cellulovorans sp. nov.

A new anaerobic, mesophilic, spore-forming cellulolytic bacterium is described. Cellulose is cleared within 24 to 48 h around colonies formed in cellulose agar roll tubes. Cells stain gram negative and are nonmotile rods which form oblong spores either centrally or subterminally in a clostridial swelling. Colonies are irregular with an opaque edge and a center devoid of both vegetative cells and spores. Cellulose, xylan, pectin, cellobiose, glucose, maltose, galactose, sucrose, lactose, and mannose serve as substrates for growth. H(2), CO(2), acetate, butyrate, formate, and lactate are produced during fermentation of cellulose or cellobiose. The temperature and pH for optimum growth are 37 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. The DNA composition is 26 to 27 mol% guanine plus cytosine. This bacterium resembles "Clostridium lochheadii" in morphological and some biochemical characteristics but is not identical to it. The name Clostridium cellulovorans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 743B (ATCC 35296).