title: Capsule genes of Streptococcus pneumoniae influence growth in vitro.
abstract: Recently, we showed that the in vitro lag phase correlates with the pneumococcal serotype. This study investigated the role of capsule genes in bacterial growth using strain D39. Deletion of the entire capsule operon induced a significantly prolonged lag phase in Todd Hewitt broth (P=0.0002). However, partial deletions showed a different influence on the lag phase. Supplementation of media with 5% fetal bovine serum restored normal growth, at least partially, in mutants with a prolonged lag phase. Therefore, pneumococcal capsule gene products influence bacterial growth in vitro in strain D39.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bättig
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mühlemann
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D009154:Mutation; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins