noun methanum methane; M.L. adj . methani- cus pertaining to methane. Description taken from Weinberg at al. (loc. cii.) and from Smit {op. cit., 1930, 25). Spheres, 2.0 to 2.5 microns in diameter, occurring in packets of 8 or more cocci. Non-motile. Gram-variable. Growth in solutions of calcium acetate and possibly of butyrate and inorganic am- monium salts. Carbon dioxide is needed for methane production. In acetate-agar (with addition of some HoS and NaHCOs) : Colonies of 50 to 100 microns are formed, showing gas produc- tion. Cultural characters as yet unknown. Carbohydrates and ethanol not fer- mented. Cellulose reaction negative. Principal products from the metabolism of calcium acetate and butyrate are meth- ane, carbon dioxide and calcium carbonate. Peptones not attacked. Utilizes ammonium salts as source of nitrogen. No organic nitrogen compounds utilized. Strict anaerobe. Killed by a short contact with the air. Optimum temperature, between 35° and 37° C. Non-pathogenic. Distinctive characters: Utilizes am- monium salts and acyclic acids producing methane and carbonic acid. Source: Isolated from sediment in meth- ane fermentation (Weinberg et al.). Iso- lated from mud (Smit). Habitat: Swamp waters and mud; fer- menting sewage sludge. 4. Sarcina barkeri Schnellen, 1947. (Sarcina harkerii (sic) Schnellen, Inaug. Diss., Delft, 1947, 63; also see Kluyver and Schnellen, Arch, of Biochem., IJ,., 1947, 57.) bar'ke.ri. M.L. gen. noun barkeri of Barker; named for H. A. Barker, who has made studies of organisms of this type. Spheres, 1.5 to 2.0 microns in diameter, occurring mostlj' in packets of 8 or less. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Growth occurs in solutions of methanol and inorganic ammonium salts. Methanol agar (with inorganic salts and some NaaS) colonies: 0.5 to 1.0 mm in di- ameter, whitish. Carbohydrates not fermented. Cellulose-negative . Methane is produced from carbonic acid and bicarbonates. Sodium acetate is more slowly attacked with the production of car- bon dioxide, part of which is reduced to methane. Other alcohols and salts are not utilized. Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Peptones and other sources of organic nitrogen are not utilized. Catalase-negati ve . Optimum temperature, 30° C. Optimum pH, 7.0. Non-pathogenic. Distinctive characters: Methanol is uti- lized with the production of methane, car- bon dioxide and water. From mixtures of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and hydrogen, methane is produced. Pure car- bon monoxide is utilized with the produc- tion of carbon dioxide and methane. Source: Isolated from mud. Habitat: Found in mud and sewage sludge. 5. Sarcina lutea Schroeter, 1886. (In Cohn, Kryptogamen-Flora v. Schlesien, 3, 1, 1886, 154.) lu'te.a. L. adj. luteus yellow. Spheres, 1.0 to 1.5 microns in diameter, occurring in packets in all media. Gram- positive. Gelatin colonies: Circular, up to 5 mm in diameter, sulfur-yellow, sinking into the medium. Gelatin stab: Slow, infundibuliform li- quefaction. Agar colonies: Yellow, coarsely granular, circular, raised, moist, glistening, entire. Agar slant: Sulfur- to chrome-yellow, smooth, soft growth. Broth: Clear with abundant, j'ellow sedi- ment. Litmus milk: Coagulated, becoming alka- line. Potato: Sulfur- to chrome-yellow, raised, sometimes limited growth. Slight indole production.
