Characteristics of Geodermatophilus

Characteristics of Geodermatophilus include the creation of a black at times shiny colony when grown. The colony can start out pink and as it progresses become its more common black color. There are two types of cell morphology, there are motile rod shaped cells and nonmotile coccoid cells. According to Ishiguro and Wolfe the organism can be forced to appear in either of the two morphologies by altering the presence of Tryptose or cat-ions. Geodermatophilus is Gram positive, non pathogenic, and uses Zoospores as its method of replication. This organism can survive in liquid cultures at 60oC but grows best at 26oC. Among the strains in the paper the life cycle after the zoospore differs. Sugar metabolism among them is steady enough that it could be used to distinguish between them. I am not sure but I think Dr. Rainey said that there are no subspecies all of the strains are actually one but not certain. Geodermatophilus has no color reactions on Tyrosine Agar or H2S; it can hydrolyze starch but not Casein or Gelatin. It sporadically reduces nitrate.

Strain 25