Increased formation of arginine deiminase by Clostridium perfringens FD-1 growing in the presence of caffeine.

Caffeine slowed growth and markedly increased the formation of arginine deiminase in growing C. perfringens FD-1 when dextrin, but not maltose or maltotriose, served as the energy source. It is postulated that the ability of caffeine to induce arginine deiminase is related to an inhibition of polysaccharide utilization, resulting in a shift-down condition known to induce arginine deiminase and other enzymes in bacteria.