Isolation and Characterization of an Anaerobic, Cellulolytic Bacterium, Clostridium papyrosolvens sp. nov.

Clostridium papyrosolvens, a new species of cellulolytic, sporeforming, anaerobic bacteria, is described. The colonies produced by these bacteria in cellulose agar roll-tubes were spherical, translucent, unpigmented, and of granular appearance. Single cells of the bacterium were straight rods, 0.5 to 0.8 μm by 2 to 5 μm, peritrichous, and motile. Spherical terminal spores 1 to 1.2 μm in diameter were formed. Fermentation products from cellulose included hydrogen, carbon dioxide, ethanol, acetate, and lactate. The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition of the type strain of C. papyrosolvens, NCIB 11394, is 30 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The specific epithet papyrosolvens reflects the ability of the organism to ferment filter paper.