Abstract
Several strains of Clostridium sticklandii, isolated from small colonies arising after treatment with 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine, exhibited markedly depressed activities of certain catabolic enzyme systems known to provide energy to the organism in the form of adenosine triphosphate. In some of these strains the levels of glycine reductase, the ability to ferment lysine to fatty acids and ammonia, and formate-dependent 2,3-5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride reduction were only 0 to 10% of that of the wild type. Another subgroup of mutants exhibited activities of some of these enzymes from 1.3 to 3 times higher than those of the wild type. Small-colony mutants of an obligate anaerobe, like those of oxygen-utilizing organisms, can therefore be due to defects in one or more of their energy-providing systems. The merits of small-colony formation as an auxiliary marker for the isolation of catabolic mutants are discussed.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.