Abstract
The addition of inhibitors of cell wall biosynthesis to exponential-phase cultures of Streptococcus mutans may do one of three things, depending on the concentrations used: (i) prevent cell division at a time coincident with the onset of chromosome replication, (ii) prevent cell division later in the cell cycle coincident with or near completion of septation, or (iii) lead to limited cell lysis. The relative tolerance of S. mutans to inhibitors of cell wall biosynthesis may be due to the fact that S. mutans cultures treated with low levels of cell wall antibiotics seem to be blocked at a stage before initiation of autolytic activity, whereas cultures treated with high levels of these antibiotics seem to be blocked after termination of the autolytic phase. Thus, the cells escape the lytic death that is seen in other streptococci exposed to inhibitors of cell wall biosynthesis.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Carson D., Daneo-Moore L. Effect of cerulenin on Streptococcus faecalis macromolecular synthesis and cell division. J Bacteriol. 1978 Feb;133(2):472–476. doi: 10.1128/jb.133.2.472-476.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hakenbeck R., Messer W. Activity of murein hydrolases in synchronized cultures of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1977 Mar;129(3):1239–1244. doi: 10.1128/jb.129.3.1239-1244.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Higgins M. L., Daneo-Moore L. Effect of macromolecular synthesis and lytic capacity on surface growth of Streptococcus faecalis. J Bacteriol. 1980 Feb;141(2):938–945. doi: 10.1128/jb.141.2.938-945.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Higgins M. L., McDowell T. D., Sleytr U. B., Mychajlonka M., Shockman G. D. Effects of penicillin on macromolecular synthesis and surface growth of a tolerant streptococcus as studied by computer reconstruction methods. J Bacteriol. 1980 Dec;144(3):1168–1173. doi: 10.1128/jb.144.3.1168-1173.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hinks R. P., Daneo-Moore L., Shockman G. D. Cellular autolytic activity in synchronized populations of Streptococcus faecium. J Bacteriol. 1978 Feb;133(2):822–829. doi: 10.1128/jb.133.2.822-829.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Terleckyj B., Willett N. P., Shockman G. D. Growth of several cariogenic strains of oral streptococci in a chemically defined medium. Infect Immun. 1975 Apr;11(4):649–655. doi: 10.1128/iai.11.4.649-655.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tomasz A. The mechanism of the irreversible antimicrobial effects of penicillins: how the beta-lactam antibiotics kill and lyse bacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1979;33:113–137. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.33.100179.000553. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]