@article{mbs:/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-29-3-455, author = "Coetzee, J. N.", title = "Sucrose Fermentation by Proteus hauseri", journal= "Microbiology", year = "1962", volume = "29", number = "3", pages = "455-472", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-29-3-455", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-29-3-455", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1465-2080", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "SUMMARY: Sixty-three wild strains of Proteus mirabilis were investigated. All 55 strains comprising groups 1 a and 1 b were found to be cryptic with regard to sucrose fermentation; they possessed competent enzyme systems but did not normally ferment the sugar. No enzyme capable of cleaving this sugar was extracted from the 3 strains of group 2 and the 5 strains belonging to group 3. Partially purified enzyme preparations from two strains of P. vulgar is and two cryptic P. mirabilis strains were investigated; all four were constitutive β-D-fructofuranosidases capable of splitting raffinose to melibiose and fructose. Sucrose uptake studies showed that strains of groups 1a, 1b and 2 did not accumulate sucrose from 1% (w/v) solution; the strains of group 3 accumulated large amounts of sucrose. None of the P. mirabilis strains was permeable to maltose. The permeability barrier for sucrose was overcome by increasing its concentration to 5% (w/v). Under these conditions groups l a and 1b strains fermented sucrose in peptone water within 36 hr. Sodium deoxycholate also changed the permeability barrier of some of the cryptic strains, enabling them to ferment 1% (w/v) sucrose promptly. After 3–11 days in 1% (w/v) sucrose peptone water all 55 cryptic P. mirabilis, as well as the strains of group 3 fermented sucrose. This fermentation was not caused by wild-type organisms, but resulted from the selection of sucrose-positive mutants which arose from the former and were capable of prompt sucrose fermentation. The mutants of strains of group 3 arose at lower rates than those from the cryptic strains. It is concluded that selective permeability to sucrose and β-D-fructofuranosidase activity are genetically distinct properties of Proteus. A scheme for the classification of phenotypes of P. hauseri is presented.", }