Dependence of the Content of Cell Envelopes on the Growth Rate of Bacillus Megaterium

Sud, I. J. (Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.), and M. Schaechter. Dependence of the content of cell envelopes on the growth rate of Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 88:1612-1617. 1964.-The amount of cell-wall and cell-membrane material was measured in Bacillus megaterium growing at different steady-state rates. On a dry weight basis, the content of wall hexosamine and diaminopimelic acid, and of membrane lipid phosphorus was found to be inversely proportional to the rate of growth. During the transition from slow to fast growth, the synthesis of envelope materials showed a lag of 20 to 30 min. Possible implications of these findings are discussed in terms of regulatory mechanism.