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. 1983 Oct;46(4):785–792. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.4.785-792.1983

Influence of Calcium and Manganese on Dechaining of Lactobacillus bulgaricus†

Catherine T Wright 1, Todd R Klaenhammer 1
PMCID: PMC239468  PMID: 16346396

Abstract

The events responsible for the transition of Lactobacillus bulgaricus 1243-F from long filamentous chains to short bacilloid rods were examined in a cation-depleted liquid medium. In the presence of magnesium only, cells grew as long chains of unseparated cells. The addition of 100 μM to 1 mM calcium or manganese to this medium resulted in the dechaining of these cells to short bacilloid rods. Fe2+, Zn2+, Co2+, and Cu2+ failed to induce dechaining. Induction of calcium and manganese dechaining functioned under controlled pH maintained at 5.0 and 6.0 but not at pH 7.0. This was consistent with a previous report showing failure in synthesis of dechaining enzymes by L. bulgaricus under pH conditions approaching alkalinity (S. K. Rhee and M. Y. Pack, J. Bacteriol. 144:865-868, 1980). We conclude that under pH conditions which permit synthesis of dechaining enzymes, calcium and manganese are necessary for dechaining activity.

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Selected References

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

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