Temporal Changes in the Pattern of Intra-cytoplasmic Membrane Protein Synthesis during the Swarmer Cell Cycle of Rhodomicrobium vannielii

SUMMARY: Swarmer cells and multicellular arrays of Rhodomicrobium vannielli synthesized different types of intra-cytoplasmic membrane proteins, as evidenced by pulse-labelling patterns with [35S]methionine. Analysis of protein synthesis during the swarmer cell cycle revealed temporal changes in the rates of synthesis of several proteins, including those of the light-harvesting complex I (B885)-reaction centre pigment-protein complex and a 34000 M r protein identified as flagellin. The results are discussed in terms of differentiation and polar growth in this and related members of the Rhodospirillaceae.