PLEOMORPHISM IN BACTERIAL CELLS

1. FILAMENT FORMATION IN LACTOBACILLUS DELBRUECKII AND ITS RELATION TO VITAMIN B₁₂

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A pleomorphic strain, Lactobacillus delbrueckii No. 1, requires vitamin B₁₂ as an essential factor both for growth and division.
It has been determined that B₁₂ concentration sufficient for growth (cell elongation) is 3×10^-4μg/ml, while a concentration as high as 1μg/ml is required for cellular division. This descrepancy is considered to be the cause of abnormal cell elongation of L. delbrueckii.
The elongated cells are also abnormal at Gram reaction and chromatin structure. These abnormalities have been concluded as the secondary sequences following to the disturbance of functions of cell surface (cytoplasmic membrane) caused by vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.