Inducible Phage Tail-like Particles of Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum and Its Related Strains

Abstract

Two new kinds of high molecular bacteriocin, named as clostocins O and M, were found in Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum and its related strains. Production of both clostocins was inducible by mitomycin C (MC) or ultraviolet ray. The active clostocins appeared in the bacterial cells at about 105 min after MC-treatment, increased rapidly during next 75 min and then released into the medium with the cell lysis. The clear lysis of O- and M-producing cells was observed at 3.5 hr and 4 hr respectively after MC-treatment. Clostocin O killed M-producing strains, and clostocin M did O-producing strains. Electron microscopic observation revealed that clostocins O and M were phage tail-like particles with contractile sheath round a core. The particles resembled some pyocins and also the tail of phage HM 3 of Cl. saccharoperbutylacetonicum.It was also found that M-producing strains had simultaneously the ability of production of low molecular bacteriocin, named as clostocin D.