Cell wall-DNA association in Bacillus subtilis.

Journal of Bacteriology
R J DoyleP H Carstens

Abstract

Autolysis of cell walls of Bacillus subtilis 168 resulted in solubilization of wall-associated DNA. Most of the DNA was solubilized only in the later stages of autolysis. Solubilization of up to 70% of the wall by autolysins resulted in only 25 to 30% solubilization of wall-associated DNA. When the wall fragments remaining after 70% autolysis were analyzed by electron microscopy, it was observed that the preparations were highly enriched for completed septa, or poles. Partial autolysis at pH 5.2 or pH 8.6, both of which reflect hydrogen ion levels that permit either N-acetylglucosaminidase or N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase, but not both, to act, gave rise to enrichment of cell poles. When walls were incubated with subtilisin, DNase, or RNase, release of DNA (or DNA fragments) was accelerated. Density gradient centrifugation patterns of lysates of cells pulse-labeled with N-[3H]acetylglucosamine and then chased revealed that a small, but significant, proportion of the radioactivity sedimented to a density position equivalent to that of DNA-membrane complexes. Because the pulse-chase sequence enriched for radioactivity in cell poles, the results suggest that at least some molecules from polar cell walls have an affinity for DN...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 1, 1987·Critical Reviews in Microbiology·R J Doyle, A L Koch
Dec 15, 1992·FEMS Microbiology Letters·E M MiguélezC Hardisson
Apr 1, 1984·Journal of Bacteriology·H L MobleyU N Streips
Sep 1, 1985·Journal of Bacteriology·E M SonnenfeldR J Doyle
Jan 1, 1985·Biochimie·D Joseleau-Petit

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