This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Braham, P H Articles by Moncla, B J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Braham, P H Articles by Moncla, B J

Rapid presumptive identification and further characterization of Bacteroides forsythus.

Research Center in Oral Biology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.

ABSTRACT

Bacteroides forsythus is a fastidious anaerobic gram-negative organism associated with various forms of periodontal disease. It is dependent on N-acetylmuramic acid for growth. A method for rapid presumptive identification of human-derived strains of B. forsythus is presented, based on the following eight criteria: (i) positive activity for alpha-glucosidase, (ii) positive activity for beta-glucosidase, (iii) positive activity for sialidase, (iv) positive activity for trypsinlike enzyme, (v) negative indole production, (vi) requirement for N-acetylmuramic acid, (vii) colonial morphology, and (viii) gram stain morphology from blood agar medium deficient in N-acetylmuramic acid. Enzymes were assayed with rapid filter paper spot tests based on fluorogenic substrates (4-methylumbelliferone derivatives and N alpha-carbobenzoxy-L-arginine-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin hydrochloride). Gas-liquid chromatography analysis of the metabolic products of B. forsythus grown in peptone yeast extract broth supplemented with N-acetylmuramic acid and heat-inactivated horse serum revealed predominant amounts of acetate, propionate, butyrate, isovalerate, and phenyl acetate, with minor amounts of isobutyrate and succinate. The described presumptive identification scheme facilitated recognition of four strains of B. forsythus which were isolated from subgingival plaque samples from monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). With the exception of indole production, these organisms were essentially identical to the human strains of B. forsythus for all phenotypic and genotypic characteristics examined.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Sakakibara, J., Nagano, K., Murakami, Y., Higuchi, N., Nakamura, H., Shimozato, K., Yoshimura, F. (2007). Loss of adherence ability to human gingival epithelial cells in S-layer protein-deficient mutants of Tannerella forsythensis. Microbiology 153: 866-876 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sharma, A., Inagaki, S., Honma, K., Sfintescu, C., Baker, P.J., Evans, R.T. (2005). Tannerella forsythia-induced Alveolar Bone Loss in Mice Involves Leucine-rich-repeat BspA Protein. J. Dent. Res. 84: 462-467 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Masuda, K., Yoshioka, M., Hinode, D., Nakamura, R. (2002). Purification and Characterization of Arginine Carboxypeptidase Produced by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Infect. Immun. 70: 1807-1815 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hudspeth, M. K., Gerardo, S. H., Maiden, M. F. J., Citron, D. M., Goldstein, E. J. C. (1999). Characterization of Bacteroides forsythus Strains from Cat and Dog Bite Wounds in Humans and Comparison with Monkey and Human Oral Strains. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 2003-2006 [Abstract] [Full Text]