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[Relationship between spore formation and synthesis of extracellular protheases in Bacillus mesentericus]

Mikrobiologiia
|November 1, 1977
PubMed

Insights

Bacillus mesentericus 73 protease synthesis occurs in two phases, peaking during spore formation when growth slows. Both protease and spore production are repressed by nitrogen and catabolites.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Enzymology
  • Bacterial Physiology

Background:

  • Extracellular proteases play crucial roles in microbial ecology and biotechnology.
  • Bacillus species are known for their ability to secrete enzymes, including proteases.
  • Understanding the regulation of protease synthesis is important for optimizing enzyme production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between growth phases and extracellular protease synthesis in Bacillus mesentericus 73.
  • To determine the regulatory mechanisms governing protease and spore formation.
  • To examine the correlation between protease production and sporulation ability.

Main Methods:

  • Cultivation of Bacillus mesentericus 73 under controlled conditions.
  • Monitoring of bacterial growth rate and enzyme activity.
  • Analysis of protease and spore formation during different growth phases.
  • Investigating the effects of nitrogen-metabolite and catabolite repression.

Main Results:

  • Extracellular protease synthesis in Bacillus mesentericus 73 exhibited a biphasic pattern.
  • Maximal protease synthesis rates were observed during the late logarithmic and stationary phases, coinciding with the onset of sporulation.
  • High growth rates were associated with low protease synthesis.
  • Both alkaline protease synthesis and spore formation were found to be repressed by nitrogen metabolites and catabolites.
  • A variant (S variant) lacking extracellular protease synthesis also lost the ability to form spores.

Conclusions:

  • Extracellular protease synthesis and spore formation in Bacillus mesentericus 73 are tightly regulated processes.
  • These processes are linked and subject to common repressive mechanisms (nitrogen-metabolite and catabolite repression).
  • The observed correlation suggests a potential co-regulation or shared regulatory pathway for protease production and sporulation in this bacterium.

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