Growth and Metabolism of Live Vaccine Strain of Pasteurella tularensis

The growth and metabolism of the live vaccine strain of Pasteurella tularensis in different media were investigated. Maximal growth was observed in a medium containing a sulfuric acid digest of casein as amino acid source. Amino acid metabolism produced considerable ammonia, and the rate of ammonia evolution was directly proportional to the growth rate. The most likely route for amino acid breakdown is nonspecific oxidative deamination.