[Bacillus megaterium as a possible source of protein]

The amino acid composition of protein was studied with Bacillus megaterium. Most of the essential amino acids are present in sufficient amounts, with the exception of sulphur-containing amino acids and probably tryptophan. The content of methionine is 2 percent. The proteins of the biomass are easily digested by trypsin. The culture of Bac. megaterium grows in a mineral medium containing 5 percent of sucrose or glucose. The yield of dry biomass recalculated for the sugar consumed decreases from 0.6 to 0.3 with an increase of the sugar concentration. The addition of molasses or corn steep increases the yield of the biomass to 15--20 g of dry matter per one litre of the medium. The biomass grown under these conditions contains 8--9 percent of nitrogen, 40 percent of protein, up to 30 percent of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate in the form of granular inclusions, and 10--14 percent of RNA.