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Macromolecular synthesis and cell division during morphogenesis of Arthrobacter crystallopoietes

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Abstract

The sphere-rod-sphere morphology cycle of Arthrobacter crystallopoietes was accompanied by changes in the rate of growth and the rates of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis. The patterns of macromolecule synthesis resembled those found in other bacteria during a step-up followed by a step-down in growth rate. During the step-up in growth spherical cells grew into rods and macromolecules were synthesized in the absence of cell division. During stepdown, successive rounds of septation produced progressively smaller cells which did not separate and remained in chains. The morphology of the cells was dependent on the growth rate and could be altered by changing the dilution rate in a malate-limited chemostat. Gradual transitions in morphology and gradual increases in macromolecule content of the cells occurred as the growth rate was increased in the chemostat. Sphere to rod morphogenesis occurred when DNA synthesis was inhibited by treatment with mitomycin C or by thymine starvation. The DNA-deficient rods did not divide and eventually lysed. DNA, RNA and protein synthesis were continuously required for the reductive division of rods to spheres.

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Abbreviations

MS:

mineral salts

GS:

mineral salts plus glucose

CA:

casamino acids

GSCA:

mineral salts plus glucose plus casamino acids

cAMP:

cyclic adenosine-3′,5′-monophosphate

RNA:

ribonucleic acid

DNA:

deoxyribonucleic acid

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Author notes

  1. Ann C. St. John

    Present address: Department of Microbiology, Nelson Biological Laboratories, Rutgers University, 08903, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Ann C. St. John & Jerald C. Ensign

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  1. Ann C. St. John
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  2. Jerald C. Ensign
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John, A.C.S., Ensign, J.C. Macromolecular synthesis and cell division during morphogenesis of Arthrobacter crystallopoietes . Arch. Microbiol. 111, 51–58 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446549

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