Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1986 Jul;52(1):64–67. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.1.64-67.1986

Red pigment in Bacillus megaterium spores.

C Mitchell, S Iyer, J F Skomurski, J C Vary
PMCID: PMC203393  PMID: 3089159

Abstract

Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 spores contained a unique red pigment in their membranes that was not found in other species. This red pigment, presumably a carotenoid, was synthesized about the time of dipicolinic acid synthesis during sporulation and was associated with the forespores. A yellow pigment was synthesized during sporulation in rich medium and was found in the mother cell compartment. Although the yellow pigment was also associated with spores, it could be removed by two different extraction procedures without impairing germination; it was absent when sporulation occurred in a minimal medium. Although the yellow pigment of the mother cell appeared to be dispensable, the red pigment may serve a more critical function, such as membrane stabilization.

Full text

PDF
64

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BLIGH E. G., DYER W. J. A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can J Biochem Physiol. 1959 Aug;37(8):911–917. doi: 10.1139/o59-099. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bertsch L. L., Bonsen P. P., Kornberg A. Biochemical studies of bacterial sporulation and germination. XIV. Phospholipids in Bacillus megaterium. J Bacteriol. 1969 Apr;98(1):75–81. doi: 10.1128/jb.98.1.75-81.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Carr F. H., Price E. A. Colour Reactions Attributed to Vitamin A. Biochem J. 1926;20(3):497–501. doi: 10.1042/bj0200497. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hsieh L. K., Vary J. C. Germination and peptidoglycan solubilization in Bacillus megaterium spores. J Bacteriol. 1975 Aug;123(2):463–470. doi: 10.1128/jb.123.2.463-470.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Imae Y., Strominger J. L. Conditional spore cortex-less mutants of Bacillus sphaericus 9602. J Biol Chem. 1976 Mar 10;251(5):1493–1499. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Maclouf J., Rigaud M. Open tubular glass capillary gas chromatography for separating eicosanoids. Methods Enzymol. 1982;86:612–631. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(82)86233-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Neyman S. L., Buchanan C. E. Restoration of vegetative penicillin-binding proteins during germination and outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores: relationship of individual proteins to specific cell cycle events. J Bacteriol. 1985 Jan;161(1):164–168. doi: 10.1128/jb.161.1.164-168.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Racine F. M., Vary J. C. Isolation and properties of membranes from Bacillus megaterium spores. J Bacteriol. 1980 Sep;143(3):1208–1214. doi: 10.1128/jb.143.3.1208-1214.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rotman Y., Fields M. L. A modified reagent for dipicolinic acid analysis. Anal Biochem. 1968 Jan;22(1):168–168. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(68)90272-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Shay L. K., Vary J. C. Biochemical studies on glucose initiated germination in Bacillus megaterium. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1978 Jan 18;538(2):284–292. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(78)90356-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Singh R. P., Setlow B., Setlow P. Levels of small molecules and enzymes in the mother cell compartment and the forespore of sporulating Bacillus megaterium. J Bacteriol. 1977 Jun;130(3):1130–1138. doi: 10.1128/jb.130.3.1130-1138.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Swerdlow R. D., Setlow P. Isolation and characterization of two distinct fractions from the inner membrane of dormant Bacillus megaterium spores. J Bacteriol. 1984 Apr;158(1):9–15. doi: 10.1128/jb.158.1.9-15.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Taylor R. F. Bacterial triterpenoids. Microbiol Rev. 1984 Sep;48(3):181–198. doi: 10.1128/mr.48.3.181-198.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Taylor R. F., Ikawa M. Gas chromatography of carotenoids. Anal Biochem. 1971 Dec;44(2):623–627. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(71)90251-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. VARY J. C., HALVORSON H. O. KINETICS OF GERMINATION OF BACILLUS SPORES. J Bacteriol. 1965 May;89:1340–1347. doi: 10.1128/jb.89.5.1340-1347.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Vary J. C. Germination of Bacillus megaterium spores after various extraction procedures. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):797–802. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.797-802.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES