Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1961 Nov;82(5):706–713. doi: 10.1128/jb.82.5.706-713.1961

l-ALANINE DEHYDROGENASE: A MECHANISM CONTROLLING THE SPECIFICITY OF AMINO ACID-INDUCED GERMINATION OF BACILLUS CEREUS SPORES

R J O'Connor 1, Harlyn O Halvorson 1
PMCID: PMC279239  PMID: 14480841

Abstract

O'Connor, R. J. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and Harlyn O. Halvorson. L-Alanine dehydrogenase: A mechanism controlling the specificity of amino acid-induced germination of Bacillus cereus spores. J. Bacteriol. 82:706–713. 1961.—A study has been undertaken of the properties and specificity of germination of spores of Bacillus cereus strain T. In the absence of additional carbon sources, only l-alanine, l-α-NH2-n-butyric acid, and l-cysteine were effective germinating agents. The physical properties of germination, induced by l-alanine and l-α-NH2-n-butyric acid following extended heat shock, were in close agreement with those of l-alanine dehydrogenase. The specificity of the germination system, as well as amino acid deamination in vivo, support the view that l-alanine dehydrogenase activity is essential for germination and that the enzyme serves as the initial binding site for l-alanine in heat-shocked spores.

Full text

PDF
706

Selected References

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

  1. CHURCH B. D., HALVORSON H., HALVORSON H. O. Studies on spore germination: its independence from alanine racemase activity. J Bacteriol. 1954 Oct;68(4):393–399. doi: 10.1128/jb.68.4.393-399.1954. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. DOI R. H., HALVORSON H. Mechanism of dipicolinic acid stimulation of the soluble reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide oxidase of spores. J Bacteriol. 1961 Apr;81:642–648. doi: 10.1128/jb.81.4.642-648.1961. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. HACHISUKA Y., ASANO N., KATO N., OKAJIMA M., KITAORI M., KUNO T. Studies on spore germination. I. Effect of nitrogen sources on spore germination. J Bacteriol. 1955 Apr;69(4):399–406. doi: 10.1128/jb.69.4.399-406.1955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HARRELL W. K., HALVORSON H. Studies on the role of L-alanine in the germination of spores of Bacillus terminalis. J Bacteriol. 1955 Mar;69(3):275–279. doi: 10.1128/jb.69.3.275-279.1955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HILLS G. M. Chemical factors in the germination of spore-bearing aerobes: observations on the influence of species, strain and conditions of growth. J Gen Microbiol. 1950 Jan;4(1):38–47. doi: 10.1099/00221287-4-1-38. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HILLS G. M. Chemical factors in the germination of spore-bearing aerobes; the effects of amino acids on the germination of Bacillus anthracis, with some observations on the relation of optical form to biological activity. Biochem J. 1949;45(3):363–370. doi: 10.1042/bj0450363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HONG M. M., SHEN S. C., BRAUNSTEIN A. E. Distribution of L-alanine dehydrogenase and L-glutamate dehydrogenase in Bacilli. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1959 Nov;36:288–289. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(59)90111-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KALLIO R. E., PORTER J. R. The metabolism of cystine and cysteine by Proteus vulgaris and Proteus morganii. J Bacteriol. 1950 Nov;60(5):607–615. doi: 10.1128/jb.60.5.607-615.1950. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KRISHNA MURTY G. G., HALVORON H. O. Effect of duration of heating, L-alanine and spore concentration on the oxidation of glucose by spores of Bacillus cereus var. terminalis. J Bacteriol. 1957 Feb;73(2):235–240. doi: 10.1128/jb.73.2.235-240.1957. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. METAXAS M. A., DELWICHE E. A. The L-cysteine desulfhydrase of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1955 Dec;70(6):735–737. doi: 10.1128/jb.70.6.735-737.1955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. O'CONNOR R. J., HALVORSON H. O. Intermediate metabolism of aerobic spores. V. The purification and properties of L-alanine dehydrogenase. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1960 Dec;91:290–299. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(60)90503-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. O'CONNOR R. J., HALVORSON H. The substrate specificity of L-alanine dehydrogenase. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1961 Mar 18;48:47–55. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(61)90513-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. O'CONNOR R., HALVORSON H. Intermediate metabolism of aerobic spores. IV. Alanine deamination during the germination of spores of Bacillus cereus. J Bacteriol. 1959 Dec;78:844–851. doi: 10.1128/jb.78.6.844-851.1959. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. POWELL J. F. Factors affecting the germination of thick suspensions of bacillus subtilis spores in L-alanine solution. J Gen Microbiol. 1950 Sep;4(3):330–338. doi: 10.1099/00221287-4-3-330. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. POWELL J. F., STRANGE R. E. Biochemical changes occurring during the germination of bacterial spores. Biochem J. 1953 May;54(2):205–209. doi: 10.1042/bj0540205. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. VAS K., PROSZT G. Effect of temperature and hydrogen-ion concentration on the germination of spores of Bacillus cereus. Nature. 1957 Jun 22;179(4573):1301–1302. doi: 10.1038/1791301a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. WOESE C. R., MOROWITZ H. J., HUTCHISON C. A., 3rd Analysis of action of L-alanine analogues in spore germination. J Bacteriol. 1958 Dec;76(6):578–588. doi: 10.1128/jb.76.6.578-588.1958. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES