Effect of temperature on the growth and cell wall chemistry of a facultative thermophilic Bacillus.
The morphology and cell wall composition of Bacillus coagulans, a facultative thermophile, were examined as a function of growth temperature. The morphology of the organism varied when it was grown at different temperatures; at 37 C the organism grew as individual cells which increased in length with increasing growth temperature. At 55 C it grew in long chains of cells. Cell wall prepared from cells grown at 37 C contained 44% teichoic acid by weight, whereas cells grown at 55 C contained 29% teichoic acid. Teichoic acid from these cells was a polymer of glycerol phosphate containing galactose and ester alanine. The ratio of ester alanine to phosphate was significantly higher in cell walls and teichoic acid from 37 C-grown cells compared with those from 55 C-grown cells. Other differences observed were that cells grown at 55 C contained a lower level of autolytic ability, produced cell walls which bound more Mg(2+), and contained less peptide cross-bridging in its peptidoglycan layer than cells grown at 37 C.
D000409:Alanine / Q000032:analysis; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000606:Amino Sugars / Q000032:analysis; D001329:Autolysis; D001407:Bacillus / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005470:Fluorometry; D005690:Galactose / Q000032:analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature
D000596:Amino Acids; D000606:Amino Sugars; D010710:Phosphates; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D008274:Magnesium; D000409:Alanine; D005690:Galactose