Antimetabolite sensitivity and magnesium uptake by thermally stressed Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Metabolic inhibitors were added to a culture medium inoculated with theramlly stressed Vibrio parahaemolyticus to obtain information pertaining to biosynthetic processes required for recovery from heat damage. Ribonucleic acid and protein syntheses, in addition to membrane repair, were required during recovery of injured cells. Neither nucleic acid nor Mg2+ leakage was noted to occur during the time cells were subjected to heat stress. Studies revealed that Mg2+ was apparently taken up by cells of V. parahaemolyticus during the first 30 min after thermal treatment, indicating a possible increased requirement for Mg2+ for membrane and/or ribosome stability and repair.