STIMULATORY EFFECT OF DIHYDROXYPHENYL COMPOUNDS ON AEROTOLERANCE OF SPIRILLUM-VOLUTANS AND CAMPYLOBACTER-FETUS SUBSPECIES JEJUNI

The aerotolerance of the microaerophilic bacterium S. volutans was greatly stimulated in a defined medium by the presence of dihydroxyphenyl ferric Fe-binding compounds such as norepinephrine at 10-5-10-6 M. Dihydroxyphenyl compounds at 2 .times. 10-4 M, or Fe salts (ferrous or ferric) at high concentration, greatly increased the aerotolerance of a strain of C. fetus ssp. jejuni when grown on streak plates of Brucella agar. The microaerophilism of these organisms might in part be caused by a failure to synthesize microbial ferric Fe-binding compounds at sufficient levels to support aerobic growth.