[Effect of Gram-negative bacteria on fatty acids].

: The gram-negative bacteria investigated exert various effects on fatty acids. P. aeruginosa and A. calcoaceticus catabolize any of the fatty acids tested. S. marcescens is effective upon all fatty acids excepting butyric acid. The long chain fatty acids only are degraded by E. coli, meanwhile the other fatty acids present a bacteriostatic or bactericidal activity on it. The authors propose a simple and original method for testing the capability of degradation of fatty acids by some bacterial species.