Magnesium and anion requirements of rodB mutants of Bacillus subtilis.
rodB mutants of Bacillus subtilis have been found to require several hundred-fold more Mg2+ in a minimal growth medium than the wild type to achieve rapid growth. In the presence of all concentrations of Cl-, the organisms grow as deformed cocci, but with 10 mM Mg2+ and Br-, I-, or NO3- present they grow as rods. The morphology is then directly under the control of the concentration of both Mg2+ and anion. Originally, it was found that L-glutamic acid in the medium brought about the change from deformed spheres to rods. This amino acid will similarly function at a much lower concentration when the higher concentrations of Mg2+ and Cl- are also present. At a constant concentration of L-glutamate, the morphology can be controlled by varying the Mg2+ concentration. In the presence of Mg2+ and I-, the morphological change is temperature sensitive. At 30 C rods are formed and at 42 C deformed cocci are formed. The requirement of a rodB mutant for a high concentration of magnesium and the round morphology have been shown to be most probably due to a single mutation.
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001965:Bromides / Q000378:metabolism; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism; D007454:Iodides / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D013696:Temperature; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
D001965:Bromides; D002712:Chlorides; D005971:Glutamates; D007454:Iodides; D009566:Nitrates; D003035:Cobalt; D008274:Magnesium