Histidine decarboxylaseless mutants of Lactobacillus 30a: isolation and growth properties

Mutants of Lactobacillus 30a deficient in their ability to form an inducible histidine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.22) were selected by plating nitrosoguanidine-treated cultures on a medium containing histidine and methyl red. Wild-type organisms produce histamine, thus raising the pH and forming yellow colonies; mutant colonies remain red. In the presence of added histidine, decarboxylase-producing cultures grow more heavily than mutant cultures when the initial pH of the growth medium is low or when the lactic acid produced lowers the pH to growth-limiting values. Addition of the decarboxylation products, histamine and carbon dioxide, did not favor growth in crude medium.