A Role of Intracellular Polysaccharide in the Sporulation of "Bacillus Cereus"
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Authors
Schmid, Steven MacKay
Issue Date
1980-05
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Biology , Bacillus cereus
Alternative Title
Abstract
The problem. "Bacillus cereus" accumulates an intracellular polysaccharide under conditions of nutritional stress. The polysaccharide is then degraded as the organism begins sporulation. This study concerns intracellular polysaccharide and its possible involvement in sporulation as a source of carbon and energy.
Procedures. Ethyl methanesulphonate mutagenized
cells of "Bacillus cereus" 10702 were screened for the ability to accumulate glucose during growth with glucostat reagent. Glucose deficient mutants were assayed for the ability to accumulate poly-B-hydroxybutyric acid and intracellular
polysaccharide followed by comparison to wild type levels. Endotrophic sporulation capabilities with exogenous glucose were determined by the heat resistance of spores in both mutant and wild type. Dipicolinic acid levels in spores were assayed with modified Janssen reagent.
Findings. A mutant of "Bacillus cereus" strain T isolated was deficient in the ability to accumulate intracellular polysaccharide. The mutant produced low levels of heat sensitive spores. Heat sensitivity was dependent upon poly-B-hydroxybutyric acid accumulation and levels of exogenous glucose during sporulation. Inhibition of poly-B-hydroxybutyric acid accumulation increased heat resistance of spores subjected to sporulation in low levels of glucose
and CaCl2.
Conclusions. The data indicated that intracellular
polysaccharide supplied the sporulation process with a carbon and/or energy source involved in spore formation and heat resistance.
Description
40 leaves. Advisor: Dean A. Hoganson
Citation
Publisher
Drake University