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Bacterial growth and the concentrations of cyclic nucleotides inLegionella pneumophila cultures

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Abstract

The growth kinetics ofLegionella pneumophila, and the rates of DNA and RNA synthesis in this organism, are qualitatively similar to that of other gram negative organisms of clinical importance. After a brief stationary phase, culture viability is rapidly lost. This loss of viability is not associated with detectable cell lysis or with significant breakdown of cellular DNA; it is, however, preceded by the rapid breakdown of approximately 50% of the cumulatively labeled RNA. During logarithmic growth in buffered yeast extract broth, bacterial cells secreted into the medium large amounts of cyclic GMP at both 37°C and room temperature, while those grown in a buffered synthetic broth did not. Cyclic AMP increased moderately during stationary phase at 37°C and room temperature in both media. Neither added cyclic AMP nor added cyclic GMP influenced the rate of growth ofL. pneumophila in either broth, with or without 1-methyl-3-isobutyl-xanthine, a phosphodiestease inhibitor. Dibutyrul cyclic AMP and 8-bromo cyclic GMP individually or in combination also had no effect on growth.

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Chen, G.C.C., Brown, A. Bacterial growth and the concentrations of cyclic nucleotides inLegionella pneumophila cultures. Current Microbiology 12, 23–26 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567748

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