Abstract
Abstract A procedure for the isolation of mesosomal membranes from Bacillus subtilis 168 and Bacillus licheniformis (ATCC 9945) was developed and it was found that the enzymatic composition of protoplast membranes and mesosomal membranes was different. A membrane fraction containing mesosomal vesicles was obtained by differential centrifugation of protoplast suspensions. The mesosome fraction displayed significantly reduced levels (25- to 30-fold) of the protoplast membrane marker NADH oxidase. The specific activities of phospho-MurNAc-pentapeptide translocase and teichoic acid synthetase, two membrane-bound enzymes that catalyze important steps leading to cell wall formation, were found to be about 100-fold higher in the protoplast membrane preparation. We propose the use of these enzymes as markers for the protoplast membrane. Furthermore, the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoretograms of these two fractions are strikingly different. These data suggest that mesosomal and protoplast membranes are not identical and may have different functions.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call