The basis of the alkalophilic property of a species of bacillus.
An alkalophilic bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus was isolated from an indigo ball. The bacterium exhibited a maximum growth rate at pH 10-0 TO 10-5. The incorporation of 14C-labelled amino acids or [14C]uracil, uptake of 14C-labelled alpha-amino isobutyric acid into the bacterium and oxygen consumption of the bacterium with amino acids as substrates were all maximum at pH 9-0 to 10-5. The uptake of [U-14C]glucose into the organism and oxygen consumption with carbohydrates, on the other hand, showed little variation of rate in the pH 8 to 10 region. The oxygen consumption of intact bacteria or protoplasts in culture medium was maximum at pH 10. The membrane of the bacterium oxidized NADH maximally at pH 7-5, and ATPase bound to the membrane exhibited maximum activity at pH 7.L-Lactate, L-alanine and malate dehydrogenases in the soluble fraction exhibited maximum activities at pH 7-4 to 8-4. The alkalophilic property of the bacterium may be due to the behaviour of the membrane towards charged substances admitted into the organisms.
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000409:Alanine; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013045:Species Specificity; D014498:Uracil / Q000378:metabolism
D000596:Amino Acids; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D009243:NAD; D014498:Uracil; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D005947:Glucose; D000409:Alanine