title: Effect of temperature on the integrity of Bacillus psychrophilus cell walls.
abstract: Cell walls isolated from Bacillus psychrophilus autolyse at temperatures which support growth. At temperatures above the maximum growth temperature (28 C), a nonenzymatic lysis occurs. Removal of autolytic enzyme activity with 10 m LiCl had little effect on the rate or extent of lysis at elevated temperatures (37 and 45 C). Nonenzymatic lysis was characterized chemically by a decrease in the liberation of N-terminal groups, and the effects of pH, Ca(2+), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid suggest that ionic linkages are involved in much of the integrity of the cell wall of this psychrophile. The nonenzymatic absorbance decrease at 45 C can be reversed to the extent of 70 to 100% at 0 C. Centrifugation of a heat-lysed wall suspension separated a soluble protein component which is required for low-temperature reaggregation. Preliminary evidence indicates the insoluble residue which remains after temperature-mediated lysis is primarily peptidoglycan.
mesh_terms: D001329:Autolysis; D001407:Bacillus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D001433:Bacteriolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003470:Culture Media; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000032:analysis; D011402:Pronase / Q000494:pharmacology; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013696:Temperature; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D003470:Culture Media; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D008094:Lithium; D004492:Edetic Acid; D014357:Trypsin; D011402:Pronase; D002118:Calcium