CONVERSION OF DL-THREONINE, D-THREONINE AND 2-OXOBUTYRATE INTO PROPIONATE AND 5-HYDROXYBUTYRATE BY FUSOBACTERIUM SPECIES

The present investigation examined DL-threonine, D-threonine and 2-oxo butyrate conversion into propionate and 2-hydroxybutyrate by various t ype strains and clinical isolates of Fusobacterium. Except for Fus. na viforme, the type strains were able to produce varying degrees of prop ionate and/or 2-hydroxybutyrate from DL-threonine. Additionally, D-thr eonine was converted into an equimolar amount of propionate by Fus. ne crophorum subsp, necrophorum, Fus. nucleatum subsp. nucleatum and Fus. varium, and to a lower but significant amount by Fus. mortiferum and Fus. perfoetens. However, the level of propionate remained unchanged f or Fus. nucleatum subsp. fusiforme, Fus. nucleatum subsp. vincentii, F us. naviforme, Fus. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme, Fus. gonidiaforme and Fus. russii. 2-Oxobutyrate was fermented to propionate by all typ e strains, although Fus. russii reduced it mainly to 2-hydroxybutyrate . Thus, an attempt was made to make use of these features in order to identify clinical isolates.