Pyrolysis Mass Spectrometry of Whole Cells, Cell Walls and Isolated Cell Wall Polymers of Bacillus subtilis var. niger WM

SUMMARY: Bacillus subtilis var. niger WM was grown in continuous culture under phosphate-limited and under magnesium-limited conditions. Whole cells, cell walls and the isolated wall polymers peptidoglycan, teichoic acid and teichuronic acid were analysed by Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Characteristic ion peaks for the wall polymers were established and facilitated the interpretation of the mass pyrograms of walls and whole cells. The mass pyrograms of magnesium-limited cells showed the characteristic peaks for protein, peptidoglycan and teichoic acid. Phosphate-limited cells showed peaks characteristic of teichuronic acid instead of teichoic acid.