Open AccessFormation of volutin granules in Corynebacterium glutamicum
Author(s) -
Pallerla Srinivas Reddy,
Knebel Sandra,
Polen Tino,
Klauth Peter,
Hollender Juliane,
Wendisch Volker F.,
Schoberth Siegfried M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.11.047
Subject(s) - polyphosphate , staining , corynebacterium glutamicum , corynebacterium , biochemistry , lysis , bacteria , granule (geology) , biology , cell wall , intracellular , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , phosphate , paleontology , genetics
Volutin granules are intracellular storages of complexed inorganic polyphosphate (poly P). Histochemical staining procedures differentiate between pathogenic corynebacteria such as Corynebacterum diphtheriae (containing volutin) and non‐pathogenic species, such as C. glutamicum . Here we report that strains ATCC13032 and MH20‐22B of the non‐pathogenic C. glutamicum also formed subcellular entities (18–37% of the total cell volume) that had the typical characteristics of volutin granules: (i) volutin staining, (ii) green UV fluorescence when stained with 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole, (iii) electron‐dense and rich in phosphorus when determined with transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray microanalysis, and (iv) 31 P NMR poly P resonances of isolated granules dissolved in EDTA. MgCl 2 addition to the growth medium stimulated granule formation but did not effect expression of genes involved in poly P metabolism. Granular volutin fractions from lysed cells contained polyphosphate glucokinase as detected by SDS–PAGE/MALDI‐TOF, indicating that this poly P metabolizing enzyme is present also in intact poly P granules. The results suggest that formation of volutin is a more widespread phenomenon than generally accepted.