Abstract
THE endogenous metabolism of micro-organisms in aqueous suspension in the absence of added nutrients may involve the utilization of endogenous protein and RNA1, as well as amino-acid pool constituents and reserve substances such as glycogen and polyhydroxybutyric acid (see reviews by Dawes and Ribbons2). Investigations with Aerobacter aerogenes1, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens have shown that starvation in aerated saline buffer at 37° results in a considerable loss of protein during a period when viability of the populations remains at 95–100 per cent. Since analyses of ultracentrifugal fractions separated from A. aerogenes after various periods of starvation showed decreases in the protein content of the insoluble, ribosomal and soluble fractions3, the loss apparently represents a depletion of various cell proteins. It is interesting, therefore, that induced β-galactosidase in Escherichia coli was found to be relatively stable while other proteins were being rapidly degraded during turnover4. The relative stability of induced β-galactosidase in a wild-type strain of E. coli during starvation has been investigated and this communication records the relevant data.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Strange, R. E., Dark, F. A., and Ness, A. G., J. Gen. Microbiol., 25, 61 (1961). Strange, R. E., Nature, 191, 1272 (1961).
Dawes, E. A., and Ribbons, D. W., Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 16, 241 (1962); Bact. Rev., 28, 126 (1964).
Strange, R. E., Wade, H. E., and Ness, A. G., Biochem. J., 86, 197 (1963).
Mandelstam, J., Biochem. J., 69, 110 (1958); Bact. Rev., 24, 289 (1960).
Stickland, L. H., J. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 698 (1951).
Lederberg, J., J. Bact., 60, 381 (1950).
Postgate, J. R., Crumpton, J. E., and Hunter, J. R., J. Gen. Microbiol., 24, 15 (1961).
Hogness, D. S., Cohn, M., and Monod, J., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 16, 99 (1955).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
STRANGE, R. Stability of β-Galactosidase in Starved Escherichia coli. Nature 209, 428–429 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/209428a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/209428a0
This article is cited by
-
Bacterial luciferase activity and the intracellular redox pool in Escherichia coli
Molecular Genetics and Genomics (2005)
-
Changes in respiration activity and energetics of Candida utilis during starvation
Biotechnology Letters (1979)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.