Taxonomic position of Arthrobacter

Abstract

IT has long been recognized that a considerable number of different types of Gram-positive, non-sporing bacilli of irregular morphology occur in soil, and their relationship to the Corynebacteria has been much discussed. One solution to the problem has been to widen the scope of Corynebacterium to include all such bacilli, but it is now generally felt¹ that this would place together in one genus very dissimilar organisms and create more problems than it would solve. Conn and Dimmick² proposed that at least one group of these soil organisms, the morphology of which shows some resemblances to Corynebacteria should be placed in a separate genus, for which they proposed to revive the old name Arthrobacter. The type species suggested by Conn and Dimmick was Arthrobacter globiformis, originally described by Conn³ as Bacterium globiforme.