Influence of amino acids on the growth of Bacteroides melaninogenicus

Abstract

Addition of individual amino acids to a Trypticase yeast extract hemin medium affected growth rates and final yields of an asaccharolytic strain and a saccharolytic strain of B. melaninogenicus. L Aspartate or L asparagine produced maximal growth enhancement for both strains. L [14C] aspartate was fermented by resting cells of the asaccharolytic strain. L Cysteine or L serine also enhanced growth for the saccharolytic strain. However, growth of the saccharolytic strain was inhibited by L lysine, L glutamate, L glutamine, L isoleucine, L leucine, and L proline; growth of the asaccharolytic strain was inhibited by DL valine and L serine. Both strains were inhibited by L histidine, DL methionine, L tryptophan, L arginine, and glycine.