title: Synthesis of cell envelope components by anucleate cells (minicells) of Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: Minicells produced by Bacillus subtilis CU403 (divIVB1) are capable of mucopeptide biosynthesis as shown by the incorporation of L-alanine, D-alanine, and N-acetylglucosamine into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material, which can be degraded to trichloroacetic acid-soluble material by lysozyme digestion. Incorporation of the precursors is sensitive to vancomycin and D-cycloserine and insensitive to chloramphenicol. Penicillin inhibits the incorporation of D- and L-alanine N-acetylglucosamine at concentrations in excess of 10 mug of penicillin per ml; however, minicells are insensitive to penicillin-induced lysis. The material synthesized in minicells from N-acetylglucosamine is not subject to turnover during a subsequent 6-h incubation period. [2-3H]glycerol is converted to a cold trichloroacetic acid-precipitable form by minicells. This synthesis is not inhibited by vancomycin, penicillin, D-cycloserine, or chloramphenicol. Fractionation of the material synthesized from glycerol into hot trichloroacetic acid-soluble material and chloroform/methanol-extractable material indicates that minicells convert glycerol into teichoic acid and lipid.
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000378:metabolism; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003523:Cycloserine; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000494:pharmacology; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008055:Lipids; D009088:Mucoproteins; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D014640:Vancomycin; D003523:Cycloserine; D005990:Glycerol; D010400:Penicillin G; D000117:Acetylglucosamine