Amines produced by 31 strains of the Clostridium bifermentans and C. sordellii groups were compared by examining trifluoroaceticanhydride derivatives of basic chloroform extracts from spent cultural medium by gas–liquid chromatography (g.l.c.). All of the urease-positive strains (16) exhibited an amine profile consistent with that of C. sordellii. On the other hand, 12 of 15 urease-negative strains produced amine g.l.c. patterns like that of C. bifermentans, and three strains produced amine patterns identical with that of C. sordellii. The carbohydrate composition of some of the strains was determined by g.l.c. of trimethylsilyl derivatives of acid-digested formamide extracts of whole cells. Two of the three urease-negative strains with amine profiles like C. sordellii had a carbohydrate composition similar to that of C. sordellii, and the other strain had a carbohydrate profile more like that of C. bifermentans. One known strain of C. bifermentans had a carbohydrate profile with characteristics of both C. bifermentans and C. sordellii. The results of this study point out the variability of urease production by C. sordellii and the value of gas chromatography in differentiating this organism from C. bifermentans.
Clostridium bifermentans