Urease-negative strains of Clostridium sordellii

Abstract

Twenty-seven of 37 non-toxigenic, urease-negative strains originally identified as Clostridium bifermentans that were isolated in the Antarctic were reidentified as C. sordellii by the tests for DNA–DNA homology, by the absence of mannose in the cell wall, and by growth inhibition of mannose. The test for cell wall sugar components of urease-negative and -positive strains of C. sordellii revealed that glucose, mannose, and rhamnose could not be detected in any of eight urease-negative strains used but galactose was detectable in seven of the eight strains and that glucose or galactose or both of the two sugars were present in the urease-positive strains tested.