title: Effects of sonication and growth temperature on the cytochrome oxidase activity of Bacillus species.
abstract: The cytochrome oxidase activity of Bacillus strains was analyzed quantitatively by colorimetric N, N, N', N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylene-diamine (TMPD) oxidase assay. Twenty six type strains were readily grouped, the oxidase positive, the oxidase negative, and the oxidase indeterminate groups. TMPD-dependent oxidase activities for whole cells and sonicated cells were compared. Spectral absorbance analyses of membrane fractions showed that all 26 Bacillus type strains contained the o-type cytochrome oxidase; 19 strains contained cytochrome a + a3 and among which 5 strains contained cytochromed. All of the 10 thermophilic Bacillus strains, which were predominantly oxidase positive, exhibited maximum oxidase activity when grown at optimum temperature (65 degrees C). The other three "caldo-active" thermophiles exhibited maximum oxidase activities when grown at their optimum temperatures, 70 degrees C to 80 degrees C. Mesophilic B. cereus and B. subtilis exhibited maximum oxidase activity in cells grown at 42 degrees C and 55 degrees C, respectively. In no case did growth temperature induce oxidase negative strains to exhibit an oxidase positive reaction, and vice versa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D003124:Colorimetry; D003580:Cytochromes / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D013772:Tetramethylphenylenediamine; D014465:Ultrasonics
chemical_list: D003580:Cytochromes; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating; C022726:tetramethylphenylenediamine oxidase; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D013772:Tetramethylphenylenediamine