Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1982 Aug;37(2):695–701. doi: 10.1128/iai.37.2.695-701.1982

Selection of nonmucoid derivatives of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa is strongly influenced by the level of iron in the culture medium.

J R Boyce, R V Miller
PMCID: PMC347587  PMID: 6811438

Abstract

We investigated the effects of cations on the stability in culture of mucoid strains pf Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis by studying their effects on the selection of nonmucoid derivatives which arise by spontaneous mutation in cultures of mucoid organisms. Calcium ion concentrations in the range 0.55 to 1.85 mM had no effect on the growth or stability of the mucoid cultures. Higher levels (5.0 mM) inhibited the growth of both mucoid and nonmucoid cells. Likewise, magnesium ion in concentrations of 0.3 to 3.0 mM had no effect. The concentration of iron (either Fe2+ or Fe3+) had a profound effect on the selection of nonmucoid mutants in unshaken cultures of mucoid organisms. In medium containing 0.01 mM iron, nonmucoid mutants rapidly accumulated to a greater than 100-fold-higher frequency than the mucoid forms. Rates of accumulation of nonmucoid derivatives were lower in media containing lower concentrations of iron. The possible role of iron in the selection of nonmucoid cells from a population of mucoid P. aeruginosa is discussed.

Full text

PDF
695

Selected References

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

  1. Boyce J. R., Miller R. V. Effects of cations on stability of cystic fibrosis associated mucoid Pseudomonas. Lancet. 1980 Aug 2;2(8188):268–269. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(80)90162-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Boyce J. R., Miller R. V. Motility as a selective force in the reversion of cystic fibrosis-associated mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the nonmucoid phenotype in culture. Infect Immun. 1982 Aug;37(2):840–844. doi: 10.1128/iai.37.2.840-844.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DOGGETT R. G., HARRISON G. M., WALLIS E. S. COMPARISON OF SOME PROPERTIES OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA ISOLATED FROM INFECTIONS IN PERSONS WITH AND WITHOUT CYSTIC FIBROSIS. J Bacteriol. 1964 Feb;87:427–431. doi: 10.1128/jb.87.2.427-431.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Davis P. B., di Sant'Agnese P. A. A review. Cystic fibrosis at forty--quo vadis? Pediatr Res. 1980 Feb;14(2):83–87. doi: 10.1203/00006450-198002000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Der Vartanian D. V. NADH dehydrogenases from Azotobacter vinelandii. Z Naturforsch B. 1972 Sep;27(9):1082–1084. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Doggett R. G. Incidence of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa from clinical sources. Appl Microbiol. 1969 Nov;18(5):936–937. doi: 10.1128/am.18.5.936-937.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Govan J. R., Fyfe J. A., McMillan C. The instability of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa: fluctuation test and improved stability of the mucoid form in shaken culture. J Gen Microbiol. 1979 Jan;110(1):229–232. doi: 10.1099/00221287-110-1-229. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Govan J. R. Mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: the influence of culture medium on the stability of mucus production. J Med Microbiol. 1975 Nov;8(4):513–522. doi: 10.1099/00222615-8-4-513. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. IACOCCA V. F., SIBINGA M., BARBERO G. J. RESPIRATORY TRACT BACTERIOLOGY IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS. Am J Dis Child. 1963 Sep;106:315–324. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1963.02080050317012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kilbourn J. P. Bacterial content and ionic composition of sputum in cystic fibrosis. Lancet. 1978 Feb 11;1(8059):334–334. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)90111-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kulczycki L. L., Murphy T. M., Bellanti J. A. Pseudomonas colonization in cystic fibrosis. A study of 160 patients. JAMA. 1978 Jul 7;240(1):30–34. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Shapiro B. L., Feigal R. J., Lam L. F. Mitrochondrial NADH dehydrogenase in cystic fibrosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Jun;76(6):2979–2983. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.6.2979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Weinberg E. D. Iron and infection. Microbiol Rev. 1978 Mar;42(1):45–66. doi: 10.1128/mr.42.1.45-66.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. di Sant'Agnese P. A., Davis P. B. Research in cystic fibrosis (third of three parts). N Engl J Med. 1976 Sep 9;295(11):597–602. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197609092951105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES