Abstract
Characteristics of a slime-producing bacterium isolated from living and dead gypsy moth larvae were determined. The bacterium was found to be a motile, gram-negative rod, which fermented glucose, but not lactose. It was oxidase-negative, hydrolyzed urea, deaminated phenylalanine and produced H2S. These characteristics are common to several members of the genusProteus. In addition to the unique feature of slime production, a biochemical comparison with other members of the genus showed that it differed markedly from described species ofProteus; thus the new speciesProteus myxofaciens was proposed.
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This study was developed under a cooperative aid agreement with the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Forest Insect and Disease Laboratory, West Haven, Connecticut.
This paper is part of a dissertion presented to Graduate School of the University of Connecticut in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Masters degree in Bacteriology. Present address: Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, 135 Wood Street, West Haven, Connecticut.
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Cosenza, B.J., Podgwaite, J.D. A new species ofProteus isolated from larvae of the gypsy mothPorthetria dispar (L.). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 32, 187–191 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02097459
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02097459