Open AccessEffect of Low Temperature on the Growth and Fine Structure of Bacillus subtilis
Author(s) -
E. Karol Neale,
George B. Chapman
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.104.1.518-528.1970
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , biology , biophysics , population , ultrastructure , microbiology and biotechnology , stress (linguistics) , bacterial growth , bacteria , genetics , anatomy , linguistics , philosophy , demography , sociology
Logarithmically growing cultures ofBacillus subtilis transferred from 37 to 15 C present atypical growth curves, and ultrathin sections of such cells reveal structural modifications involving mesosome deterioration and double cell wall formation. After a time, optical density and viable count increase, and cells regain the appearance typical of control cells, indicating a recovery from thermal stress. Subcultures of such recovered cells continue to grow well at 15 C. Cultures transferred from 37 to 12 C show atypical growth and fine structure, although no recovery from this stress is seen. Cultures previously grown at 15 C continue to grow at 12 C, and, furthermore, do not show the ultrastructural alterations seen in similar cells with a 37 C thermal history. The results of these studies suggest that low temperatures induce structural modifications inB. subtilis , that the response of a population to thermal stress may change during the period of the stress, and that thermal history may influence the response of a population to thermal stress.