Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1974 Jan;117(1):270–282. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.1.270-282.1974

Growth Cycle of Predacious Bdellovibrios in a Host-Free Extract System and Some Properties of the Host Extract

Aviva T Horowitz 1, M Kessel 1, M Shilo 1
PMCID: PMC246554  PMID: 4587608

Abstract

Host-free growth and reproduction of a host-dependent strain of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus incubated with an extract from host cells were studied. The morphological changes occurring in the cells were correlated with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis as measured by labeled nucleotide or orthophosphate incorporation. The host-free developmental cycle of Bdellovibrio is similar to that of the two-membered system; the early loss of flagella, the elongation into filaments, and multiple fission into flagellated progeny are typical for both host-free and intraperiplasmic development of bdellovibrios. Filament length and time of division appear to depend on the concentration of the host extract. Host extract was found to be heat stable and DNase stable, and Pronase sensitive and RNase sensitive. Addition of ribonucleic acid to the extract medium at various times during the Bdellovibrio growth cycle demonstrated that host extract is required continuously during the cycle for growth. The observations reported give a unified picture of Bdellovibrio development and allow for the suggestion that wild-type bdellovibrios depend upon the presence of some host factor for induction of DNA synthesis, whereas depletion of host factor triggers division. The ecological implications of such host dependence are discussed.

Full text

PDF
272

Images in this article

272Image
on p.272
273Image
on p.273
274Image
on p.274
275Image
on p.275

Selected References

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

  1. Abram D., Davis B. K. Structural properties and features of parasitic Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. J Bacteriol. 1970 Nov;104(2):948–965. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.2.948-965.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Burger A., Drews G., Ladwig R. Wirtskreis und Infektionscyclus eines neu isolierten Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus-Stammes. Arch Mikrobiol. 1968 May 8;61(3):261–279. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burnham J. C., Hashimoto T., Conti S. F. Ultrastructure and cell division of a facultatively parasitic strain of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. J Bacteriol. 1970 Mar;101(3):997–1004. doi: 10.1128/jb.101.3.997-1004.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Crothers S. F., Fackrell H. B., Huang J. C., Robinson J. Relationship between Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 6-5-S and autoclaved host bacteria. Can J Microbiol. 1972 Dec;18(12):1941–1948. doi: 10.1139/m72-300. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Diedrich D. L., Denny C. F., Hashimoto T., Conti S. F. Facultatively parasitic strain of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. J Bacteriol. 1970 Mar;101(3):989–996. doi: 10.1128/jb.101.3.989-996.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GIERER A., SCHRAMM G. Infectivity of ribonucleic acid from tobacco mosaic virus. Nature. 1956 Apr 14;177(4511):702–703. doi: 10.1038/177702a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Huang J. C., Starr M. P. Effects of calcium and magnesium ions and host viability on growth of bdellovibrios. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 1973;39(1):151–167. doi: 10.1007/BF02578850. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Matin A., Rittenberg S. C. Kinetics of deoxyribonucleic acid destruction and synthesis during growth of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus strain 109D on pseudomonas putida and escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1972 Sep;111(3):664–673. doi: 10.1128/jb.111.3.664-673.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Rittenberg S. C. Nonidentity of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus strains 109D and 109J. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jan;109(1):432–433. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.1.432-433.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Rittenberg S. C., Shilo M. Early host damage in the infection cycle of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. J Bacteriol. 1970 Apr;102(1):149–160. doi: 10.1128/jb.102.1.149-160.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. STOLP H., STARR M. P. BDELLOVIBRIO BACTERIOVORUS GEN. ET SP. N., A PREDATORY, ECTOPARASITIC, AND BACTERIOLYTIC MICROORGANISM. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 1963;29:217–248. doi: 10.1007/BF02046064. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Seideler R. J., Mandel M., Baptist J. N. Molecular heterogeneity of the Bdellovibrios: evidence of two new species. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jan;109(1):209–217. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.1.209-217.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Seidler R. J., Starr M. P. Isolation and characterization of host-independent Bdellovibrios. J Bacteriol. 1969 Nov;100(2):769–785. doi: 10.1128/jb.100.2.769-785.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Shilo M., Bruff B. Lysis of Gram-negative bacteria by host-independent ectoparasitic Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus isolates. J Gen Microbiol. 1965 Sep;40(3):317–328. doi: 10.1099/00221287-40-3-317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Shilo M. Morphological and physiological aspects of the interaction of Bdellovibrio with host bacteria. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1969;50:174–204. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-46169-9_6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Simpson F. J., Robinson J. Some energy-producing systems in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, strain 6-5-S. Can J Biochem. 1968 Aug;46(8):865–873. doi: 10.1139/o68-129. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Starr M. P., Huang J. C. Physiology of the bdellovibrios. Adv Microb Physiol. 1972;8:215–261. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2911(08)60191-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Varon M., Levisohn R. Three-membered parasitic system: a bacteriophage, Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, and Escherichia coli. J Virol. 1972 Mar;9(3):519–525. doi: 10.1128/jvi.9.3.519-525.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Varon M., Shil M. Interacton of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and host bacteria. I. Kinetic studies of attachment and invasion of Escherichia coli B by Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. J Bacteriol. 1968 Mar;95(3):744–753. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.3.744-753.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Varon M., Shilo M. Interaction of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and host bacteria. II. Intracellular growth and development of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus in liquid cultures. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jul;99(1):136–141. doi: 10.1128/jb.99.1.136-141.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES