Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1976 Apr;126(1):384–399. doi: 10.1128/jb.126.1.384-399.1976

Nuclear and cell division in Bacillus subtilis: cell development from spore germination.

W V Iterson, J A Aten
PMCID: PMC233295  PMID: 816776

Abstract

The changes in the morphology of the nucleoids and the mesosomes in Bacillus subtilis cells during synchronous outgrowth after spore germination were followed in large-scale three-dimensional cell reconstructions. Shortly after outgrowth of the cell begins in Spizizen medium with glucose, the mesosome becomes an elongated structure in close contact with a rounded nucleoid. When nuclear replication reaches full activity, the mesosome develops into a single, complicated versatile system, with tubules that traverse the cytoplasm and have elaborations in and near the nucleoplasm. Later the system may retract to form large rounded mesosomes; the tubules and strings of vesicles within these mesosomes probably have been collected from the cytoplasm. Shortly after the first cell division, both sister cells have two nucleoids, but with longer generation times induced by growth in media containing acetate instead of glucose; these sister cells have only one nucleoid each. In acetate-grown cells rounded nucleoids that have no contact with a mesosome may represent nucleoids in a temporary stage of rest. On the other hand, the nucleoids of cells growing in glucose-containing medium are always penetrated by mesosomal material, superficially or deeply. Since the mesosome appears capable of traversing the nuclear fibrils, and even reaching the last strands connecting the dividing nucleoids, it is suggested that this organelle may play a vital role in the Bacillus division cycle.

Full text

PDF
384

Images in this article

386Image
on p.386
388Image
on p.388
389Image
on p.389
390Image
on p.390
390Image
on p.390
391Image
on p.391
392Image
on p.392
392Image
on p.392
393Image
on p.393
395Image
on p.395
395Image
on p.395
395Image
on p.395
396Image
on p.396

Selected References

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

  1. Breakefield X. O., Landman O. E. Temperature-sensitive divisionless mutant of Bacillus subtilis defective in the initiation of septation. J Bacteriol. 1973 Feb;113(2):985–998. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.2.985-998.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Burdett I. D., Rogers H. J. The structure and development of mesosomes studied in Bacillus licheniformis strain 6346. J Ultrastruct Res. 1972 Jan;38(1):113–133. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(72)90087-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cooper S., Helmstetter C. E. Chromosome replication and the division cycle of Escherichia coli B/r. J Mol Biol. 1968 Feb 14;31(3):519–540. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(68)90425-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cooper S., Ruettinger T. Replication of deoxyribonucleic acid during the division cycle of Salmonella typhimurium. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jun;114(3):966–973. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.3.966-973.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Eberle H., Lark K. G. Chromosome replication in Bacillus subtilis cultures growing at different rates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Jan;57(1):95–101. doi: 10.1073/pnas.57.1.95. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FITZ-JAMES P. C. Participation of the cytoplasmic membrane in the growth and spore fromation of bacilli. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1960 Oct;8:507–528. doi: 10.1083/jcb.8.2.507. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Higgins M. L., Shockman G. D. Procaryotic cell division with respect to wall and membranes. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol. 1971 May;1(1):29–72. doi: 10.3109/10408417109104477. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Ivarie R. D., Pène J. J. Association of many regions of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome with the cell membrane. J Bacteriol. 1973 May;114(2):571–576. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.2.571-576.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Johnston G. C., Young I. E. Variability of DNA content in individual cells of Bacillus. Nat New Biol. 1972 Aug 9;238(84):164–166. doi: 10.1038/newbio238164a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kubitschek H. E., Bendigkeit H. E., Loken M. R. Onset of DNA synthesis during the cell cycle in chemostat cultures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Jun;57(6):1611–1617. doi: 10.1073/pnas.57.6.1611. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lark C. Regulation of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli: dependence on growth rates. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1966 Jun 22;119(3):517–525. doi: 10.1016/0005-2787(66)90128-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Mendelson N. H. Deoxyribonucleic acid distribution in Bacillus subtilis independent of cell elongation. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jul;111(1):156–162. doi: 10.1128/jb.111.1.156-162.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. OISHI M., YOSHIKAWA H., SUEOKA N. SYNCHRONOUS AND DICHOTOMOUS REPLICATIONS OF THE BACILLUS SUBTILIS CHROMOSOME DURING SPORE GERMINATION. Nature. 1964 Dec 12;204:1069–1073. doi: 10.1038/2041069a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. REYNOLDS E. S. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:208–212. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.1.208. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. ROBINOW C. F. Morphology of the bacterial nucleus. Br Med Bull. 1962 Jan;18:31–35. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a069931. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. RYTER A., JACOB F. ETUDE AU MICROSCOPE 'ELECTRONIQUE DE LA LIAISON ENTRE NOYAU ET M'ESOSOME CHEZ BACILLUS SUBTILIS. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1964 Sep;107:384–400. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. RYTER A., KELLENBERGER E., BIRCHANDERSEN A., MAALOE O. Etude au microscope électronique de plasmas contenant de l'acide désoxyribonucliéique. I. Les nucléoides des bactéries en croissance active. Z Naturforsch B. 1958 Sep;13B(9):597–605. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ryter A. Association of the nucleus and the membrane of bacteria: a morphological study. Bacteriol Rev. 1968 Mar;32(1):39–54. doi: 10.1128/br.32.1.39-54.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ryter A. Etude autoradiographique de l'état de réplication des noyaux du sporange et de la spore chez Bacillus subtilis. Ann Microbiol (Paris) 1973 Jul;124(1):1–19. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Ryter A. Etude de la croissance de la membrane chez Bacillus subtilis au moyen de la distribution des flagelles. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1971 Sep;121(3):271–288. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ryter A., Frehel C., Ferrandes B. Comportement des mésosomes lors de l'attaque de Bacillus subtilis par le lysozyme en milieu hyper- ou hypotonique. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D. 1967 Oct 23;265(17):1259–1262. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Ryter A. Relationship between synthesis of the cytoplasmic membrane and nuclear segregation in Bacillus subtilis. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 1967;12(3):283–290. doi: 10.1007/BF02868745. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Setlow P. Deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and deoxynucleotide metabolism during bacterial spore germination. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jun;114(3):1099–1107. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.3.1099-1107.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Siccardi A. G., Galizzi A., Mazza G., Clivio A., Albertini A. M. Synchronous germination and outgrowth of fractionated Bacillus subtilis spores: tool for the analysis of differentiation and division of bacterial cells. J Bacteriol. 1975 Jan;121(1):13–19. doi: 10.1128/jb.121.1.13-19.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Spizizen J. TRANSFORMATION OF BIOCHEMICALLY DEFICIENT STRAINS OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS BY DEOXYRIBONUCLEATE. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1958 Oct 15;44(10):1072–1078. doi: 10.1073/pnas.44.10.1072. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. VAN ITERSON W. Some features of a remarkable organelle in Bacillus subtilis. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Jan;9:183–192. doi: 10.1083/jcb.9.1.183. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Van Iterson W., Michels P. A., Vyth-Dreese F., Aten J. A. Nuclear and cell division in Bacillus subtilis: dormant nucleoids in stationary-phase cells and their activation. J Bacteriol. 1975 Mar;121(3):1189–1199. doi: 10.1128/jb.121.3.1189-1199.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES