Clostridium cellulolyticum sp. nov., a Cellulolytic, Mesophilic: Species from Decayed Grass

Abstract

A new cellulolytic Clostridium species that was isolated from decayed grass is described. The colonies produced by this organism on cellulose agar are circular, translucent, and unpigmented and have undulate margins. The cells of this bacterium are gram-positive straight to slightly curved rods 3 to 6 μm long by 0.6 to 1 μm wide and are motile; they form round, terminal spores 1.5 μm in diameter. A variety of carbohydrates are fermented by this mesophilic anaerobe. The major fermentation products from cellulose are carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ethanol, acetate, lactate, and formate. The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition is 41 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The type strain of Clostridium cellulolyticum sp. nov. is strain H10 (= ATCC 35319).