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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1972 April; 23(4): 693-698
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Studies on Variants of Bacillus stearothermophilus Strain NCA 1518¹

^a Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65201

ABSTRACT

The heat resistance, fermentation reactions, nutritional requirements, and phage sensitivity of 18 selected morphological variants of Bacillus stearothermophilus NCA 1518 were studied. It was found that when smooth variants mutated to rough colonial morphology, there was no concurrent change in fermentation reactions, nutritional requirements, or heat resistance. The smooth variant, and the rough mutants derived directly from it, presented a uniform pattern of biochemical capabilities which differed from the pattern presented by the rough variants isolated from the same stock culture. This led to the conclusion that the smooth and rough types previously observed in stocks of B. stearothermophilus NCA 1518 either were carried in the stock since the original isolation or represent a very profound and uncommon mutation, or that one of the variants has been introduced into the stock culture from an extraneous source sometime in the past.

² Present address: Kellogg Company, Research Department, Battle Creek, Mich.

³ Deceased.

¹ Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, Journal series no. 7113.