The utilization of some organic compounds by one strain each of Salmonella anatum, Salmonella oranienburg, and Salmonella pullorum.

In the course of various investigations of microorganisms in spray-dried whole-egg powder, it became apparent that further information concerning the nutrition and metabolism of the genus Salmonella was essential. A survey of the literature revealed that little attention has been given this genus in this respect. Such information would be of value in improving the present methods of isolation and enumeration of these organisms. Koser and Rettger (1919) in a study of the utilization of nitrogenous compounds found that the addition of 11 such substances to a synthetic salts and glycerol medium resulted in a barely visible growth response of Salmonella pullorum. An investigation of the utilization of citric acid and sodium citrate by Salmonella pullorum in Koser's synthetic medium and in the agar medium of Simmons was reported by Welden and Miller (1932). Of 84 strains of Salmonella pullorum tested, 13 grew, 10 did not grow, and the remainder were variable in Koser's medium, whereas in Simmons' medium 21 were positive, 20 negative, and 43 were variable. In the liquid medium it was difficult to determine in many instances whether or not growth occurred because of the very light turbidities. Hajna (1935) found that two strains of Salmonella anatum could decompose the salts of succinic, fumaric, lactic, and citric acids when they were the sole source of carbon in Koser's synthetic medium. None of the salts supported growth of three strains of Salmonella pullorum tested. Employing an amino acids, salts, and glucose medium for an antigenic study Beard and Snow (1936) were able to grow a strain of S. pullorum. In an investigation of the nutritive requirements of S. pullorum, Johnson and Rettger (1943) found that vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride) was essential for the growth of this organism in a synthetic medium containing a mixture of 16 amino acids, salts, and glucose, with added thioglycolic acid. The most recent study of the nutrition of Salmonella was reported by Lederberg (1947), who observed that the majority of the Salmonella strains would grow in a synthetic glucose, salts, and asparagine medium. Some strains required one or more amino acids with or without vitamin supplements. Two strains of S. anatum and four strains of Salmonella oranienburg were found to be of the nonexacting group.