Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1975 Mar;121(3):1189–1199. doi: 10.1128/jb.121.3.1189-1199.1975

Nuclear and cell division in Bacillus subtilis: dormant nucleoids in stationary-phase cells and their activation.

W Van Iterson, P A Michels, F Vyth-Dreese, J A Aten
PMCID: PMC246052  PMID: 803960

Abstract

The morphology of nucleoids and mesosomes of Bacillus subtilis in stationary-and lag-phase cultures was studied by making three-dimensional cell reconstructions in plastic of electron micrographs of serial sections. In cells from stationary cultures, the dormant nucleoids are frequently, but not always, spherical and the mesosomes are small and compact. It is suggested that the spherical nucleoids represent the resting stage in which replication and segregation have been completed. In cells from lag-phase cultures, the compact mesosomes develop into an elaborate system of tubes and wider sacs which become wrapped around the elongating nucleoids and invade the nucleoplasm in preparation for division.

Full text

PDF
1189

Images in this article

Selected References

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

  1. Anagnostopoulos C., Spizizen J. REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSFORMATION IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS. J Bacteriol. 1961 May;81(5):741–746. doi: 10.1128/jb.81.5.741-746.1961. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Burdett I. D. Bacterial mesosomes. Sci Prog. 1972 Winter;60(240):527–546. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burdett I. D., Rogers H. J. Modification of the appearance of mesosomes in sections of Bacillus licheniformis according to the fixation procedures. J Ultrastruct Res. 1970 Feb;30(3):354–367. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(70)80068-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. 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]
  5. 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]
  6. Copeland J. C. Regulation of chromosome replication in Bacillus subtilis: effects of amino acid starvation in strain W23. J Bacteriol. 1971 Feb;105(2):595–603. doi: 10.1128/jb.105.2.595-603.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Higgins M. L., Shockman G. D. Early changes in the ultrastructure of Streptococcus faecalis after amino acid starvation. J Bacteriol. 1970 Jul;103(1):244–253. doi: 10.1128/jb.103.1.244-253.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. 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]
  9. Koch A. L. The adaptive responses of Escherichia coli to a feast and famine existence. Adv Microb Physiol. 1971;6:147–217. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2911(08)60069-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. 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]
  11. Morioka H., Suganuma A., Yokota Y., Tawara K. Ultrastructure of Staphylococci after freeze-etching. J Electron Microsc (Tokyo) 1973;22(3):255–266. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Owen P., Freer J. H. Isolation and properties of mesosomal membrane fractions from Micrococcus lysodeikticus. Biochem J. 1972 Oct;129(4):907–917. doi: 10.1042/bj1290907. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. 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]
  14. 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]
  15. 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]
  16. Reusch V. M., Jr, Burger M. M. The bacterial mesosome. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1973 Apr 3;300(1):79–104. doi: 10.1016/0304-4157(73)90012-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ryter A. Structure and functions of mesosomes of gram positive bacteria. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1969;49:151–177. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-46166-8_4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Salton M. R. Bacterial membranes. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol. 1971 May;1(1):161–197. doi: 10.3109/10408417109104480. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Silva M. T. Changes induced in the ultrastructure of the cytoplasmic and intracytoplasmic membranes of several Gram-positive bacteria by variations in OsO 4 fixation. J Microsc. 1971 Jun;93(3):227–232. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1971.tb02285.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. 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]
  21. Theodore T. S., Panos C. Protein and fatty acid composition of mesosomal vesicles and plasma membranes of Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):571–576. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.571-576.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Thomas J. E., Copeland J. C. Effects of leucine starvation on control of ribonucleic acid synthesis in strains of Bacillus subtilis differing in deoxyribonucleic acid regulation. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):938–943. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.938-943.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. YOSHIKAWA H., O'SULLIVAN A., SUEOKA N. SEQUENTIAL REPLICATION OF THE BACILLUS SUBTILIS CHROMOSOME. 3. REGULATION OF INITIATION. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Oct;52:973–980. doi: 10.1073/pnas.52.4.973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES