CLASSIFICATION

M. luteus is most closely related to M. lylae, from which it can be differentiated by the latter not growing on inorganic nitrogen agar, many M. lylae strains being resistant to lysozyme and differences in peptidoglycan type and amino sugar composition within the structure of the cell wall. The GC content of the DNA is 65-75 mol%.

BIOCHEMISTRY

M. luteus produces yellow to cream-white water insoluble pigments. It is a strict aerobe. Most strains can grow on inorganic nitrogen agar and few can reduce nitrate. They are oxidase positive. M. luteus will not produce acid from glucose or glycerol under aerobic conditions and not produce arginine dihydrolase or b-galactosidase. Carbohydrates are oxidized to CO2 and water.

GENETICS

There is no close genetic relationship between the species on the basis of DNA hybridization studies. M. luteus differs from M. lylae by 40-50% and from the other species a similarity of only 10-18% was noted.

It was shown that genetic exchange could occur in this genus in the 1960's. These studies led to the development of optimal conditions to effect this "tranformation". On the basis of these transformation studies parts of the M. luteus genome have been mapped. The genes for the biosynthetic pathways for tryptophan and histidine have been mapped.

Up to about half the strains have been shown to carry plasmids varying in size from 1 to 100MDa.

SEROLOGY

No information available.

VIRULENCE FACTORS

Have not been studied.

NORMAL FLORA

Like most Gram-positive cocci, M. luteus are often isolated from human and rarely from animal skin. They have also been isolated from animal and dairy products and from beer. M. luteus can not survive long in soils.

PATHOGENS

Intestinal Infections:

None specifically recorded.

Extraintestinal Infections:

M. luteus is not specifically considered as a pathogen but may be seen as an opportunistic pathogen, particularly associated with immunocompromised patients. There have been reports of septic shock and cavitating pneumonia in such patients. Urinary tract infections are also reported.

Animal Infections:

None specifically recorded.

LABORATORY ID

They grow well on nutrient agars at 37°C under aerobic conditions. There are no specific requirements for specific growth factors or salt.

ENVIROMENTAL

They do not survive long and are not normally found in soil or water.

INDUSTRIAL USES

While species other than M. luteus have been used to improve flavour or odor of fermented meat products, there are no reports of M. luteus being used for that. It has been suggested that M. luteus is useful for the economic production of long-chain (C21-C34) aliphatic hydrocarbons, which few bacteria other than micrococci produce. These may be useful as lubricating oils and may be substitutes for equivalent petroleum products.

M. luteus has also been used as a test organism for the assay of antibiotics in body fluids, animal feeds, milks and pharmaceuticals.

VACCINES

None developed.

Micrococcaceae

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