Abstract
Cell walls isolated from Bacillus psychrophilus autolyse at temperatures which support growth. At temperatures above the maximum growth temperature (28 C), a nonenzymatic lysis occurs. Removal of autolytic enzyme activity with 10 m LiCl had little effect on the rate or extent of lysis at elevated temperatures (37 and 45 C). Nonenzymatic lysis was characterized chemically by a decrease in the liberation of N-terminal groups, and the effects of pH, Ca2+, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid suggest that ionic linkages are involved in much of the integrity of the cell wall of this psychrophile. The nonenzymatic absorbance decrease at 45 C can be reversed to the extent of 70 to 100% at 0 C. Centrifugation of a heat-lysed wall suspension separated a soluble protein component which is required for low-temperature reaggregation. Preliminary evidence indicates the insoluble residue which remains after temperature-mediated lysis is primarily peptidoglycan.
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Selected References
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