Anaerobic Growth of Staphylococcus Species from Human Skin: Effects of Uracil and Pyruvate 1

A collection of 178 strains of staphylococci from human skin, representing the three generally accepted species (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and S. saprophyticus ) and seven recently proposed new species (S. simulans, S. cohnii, S. xylosus, S. warneri, S. capitis, S. haemolyticus, and S. hominis ), was studied with regard to their requirements for uracil and pyruvate for anaerobic growth. S. saprophyticus and six of the proposed new species required both of these nutrients for good anaerobic growth and achieved essentially no growth when both were absent from the medium. S. simulans was unique in having no requirement for these nutrients for vigorous anaerobic growth. Only eight strains, six of S. cohnii and two of S. haemolyticus, gave no anaerobic growth in the medium with both uracil and pyruvate. Many strains of S. epidermidis and S. aureus grew well when both substances were absent but grew somewhat better when one or both were present. The taxonomic implications of this study provide some support for acceptance of several of the proposed new species.