CHANGES IN AMINO ACID INCORPORATION OF BACILLUS MEGATERIUM DURING SPORULATION

Abstract

By using the sporulation system of Bacillus megaterium, analysis of the protein-synthesizing system in sporulating cells was made. By comparing the content of amino acid composition in vegetative cells and spores, it was found that spores were richer in cysteine-cystine, aromatic acids, basic amino acids and serine. Glutamic acid was the major amino acid in the soluble pool but rapidly decreased during sporulation.
Rate of incorporation of several amino acids into protein fraction was observed to change at the onset of sporulation. Inhibition experiments with chloramphenicol suggested that the cells exhibit a chloramphenicol-insensitive level of protein synthesis at all stages which differs during the different stages. This non-inhibitory level in sporulating cells may be the major protein synthesis for sporulation.