N-acetylmuramic acid inhibits spore germination and germination enzymes.
This report describes the inhibition of spore germination by N-acetylmuramic acid. At concentrations of 20 mM and higher, the rate of germination of the treated spores was ten-fold lower than that of the control spores. The inhibitor also depressed the activity of two germination-related enzymes; a coat-associated hexosaminidase and a core enzyme. These findings suggests that N-acetylmuramic acid affects spore germination by inhibition of the corticolytic enzymes. The results are discussed with respect to the possible role of these enzymes in germination.
Brown
W C
WC
Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego La Jolla 92093.
Morrison
D
D
Sanford
W
W
Granada
S
S
D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D009112:Muramic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013400:Sugar Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*
D009112:Muramic Acids; D013400:Sugar Acids; C031651:N-acetylmuramic acid; D006596:Hexosaminidases