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Changes in membrane functions during short-term starvation of Vibrio fluvialis strain NCTC 11328

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Abstract

The marine bacterium Vibrio fluvialis strain NCTC 11328 responded to starvation conditions by forming ultramicrocells of “dwarf” bacteria. The viability of starved cells began to decrease after 2–3 days. During this time the respiratory potential of the bacteria decreased by four- or fivefold, most probably as a result of a decrease in the specific activity of NADH and succinate dehydrogenases. Although respiratory potential in starving cells was lower than in growing cells, bacteria starved for 1 or 2 days maintained a proton motive force that was slightly larger than that of growing bacteria. Starved bacteria contained substantial concentrations of ATP although the UTP and GTP concentrations were much lower in starved than in growing cells. Two or three proteins that were not present in membranes of growing cells, were evident in the membranes of starved bacteria.

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Abbreviations

MMS:

modified Morita's salts

MMSGC:

modified Morita's salts plus 20 mM glucose and 0.1% (w/v) casamino acids

MMST:

modified Morita's salts buffered with 50 mM tricine, (pH 8.5)

NM broth:

nutrient modified Morita's salts

CFU:

colony-forming unit

TPP:

tetraphenylphosphonium

STM:

0.1 M tricine, (pH 8.0) plus 0.25 M sucrose and 0.02 M magnesium acetate

DCPIP:

dichlorophenolindophenol

CCCP:

carbonyl cyanidem-chlorophenylhydrazone

PMF:

proton motive force

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Microbiology, University of New South Wales, 2033, Kensington, NSW, Australia

    Adam J. Smigielski, Brian J. Wallace & Kevin C. Marshall

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  1. Adam J. Smigielski
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  2. Brian J. Wallace
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  3. Kevin C. Marshall
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Smigielski, A.J., Wallace, B.J. & Marshall, K.C. Changes in membrane functions during short-term starvation of Vibrio fluvialis strain NCTC 11328. Arch. Microbiol. 151, 336–341 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406561

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406561

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