title: Pleomorphism of the marine bacterium Teredinobacter turnirae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A morphology transition for the marine bacterium, Teredinobacter turnirae is reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When grown in the rod-shaped morphology, the cells require high concentrations of NaCl (0.3 mol x l(-1)) and secrete extracellular protease and endoglucanase activity. When this bacterium is grown in a medium containing casein as a sole carbon and nitrogen source, a major change in morphology to a stable aggregated form is obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the aggregated morphology, much higher protease production rates (170 Units x ml(-1) x d-1 for aggregates vs. 15 Units x ml(-1) x d(-1) for rods, for the same initial biomass) and negligible endoglucanase titres are obtained. In addition, the aggregated morphology does not require sodium chloride for growth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The phenomenon reported here describes a novel relationship between the cell morphology and the biochemical characteristics of the bacterium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sierks
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D018533:Biomass; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D011548:Pseudomonadaceae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002364:Caseins; D003470:Culture Media; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D010450:Endopeptidases