Expansion of the tetragonally arrayed cell wall protein layer during growth of Bacillus sphaericus.
The outermost layer of the cell wall of Bacillus sphaericus strain P-1 is a tetragonally arrayed structure (T-layer) which is assembled from a single polypeptide. No turnover of T-layer was detected during growth of cultures. In contrast, the turnover of peptidoglycan was between 20 and 25% per generation. The sites of deposition of new T-layer on the cell surface were identified by the indirect fluorescent antibody technique, which labeled old T-layer, and by the reverse technique, which labeled new T-layer. These experiments demonstrated that the major area of T-layer deposition was a band at the site of an incipient cell division. This band subsequently split and covered the new pole of each progeny cell. Little or no T-layer was inserted into existing poles. In addition, multiple bands of new T-layer, which probably accommodate cell elongation, were inserted along the lateral surface of the cell.
D001407:Bacillus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010457:Peptidoglycan