Catabolism of arginine byCarnobacterium spp. isolated from vacuum-packed sugar-salted fish

Abstract

The ability ofCarnobacterium spp. originally isolated from vacuum-packed, sugar-salted fish to catabolize arginine was examined. All strains were able to produce citrulline, ornithine, and NH3 from arginine, presumably by the arginine deiminase pathway. The metabolism of arginine was concurrent with acid production from glucose for one strain ofCarnobacterium sp. but delayed for one strain ofCarnobacterium piscicola. The arginine catabolism was not inhibited in the presence of 2% glucose for three strains of carnobacteria during growth in test broth and/or shrimp extract. Growth as well as arginine catabolism was delayed for two strains of carnobacteria by lowering the temperature from 9°C to 4°C. A similar result was obtained by incubating one strain ofC. piscicola in CO2. None of the compoundsl-citrulline,l-ornithine hydrochloride, and (NH4)2SO4 had any effect on growth or arginine catabolism of this strain. Neither did pH of the medium affect the time for initiation of arginine catabolism.