Full text loading...
Abstract
Halobacterium cutirubrum was cultured in a complex medium designed for extreme halophiles containing 4 m-NaCl in the absence or presence of bacitracin (7, 14 or 28 μm) with shaking at 37 °C for 24 h. Bacitracin at 7 or 14 μm inhibited growth (50% and 100%, respectively), phospholipid synthesis (88% and 96%, respectively) and bacterioruberin synthesis (65% and 87%, respectively) relative to a control lacking bacitracin. After 5 h incubation in the presence of 7 or 28 μm-bacitracin, total lipid biosynthesis, as measured by incorporation of 14C from short-term labelling with [14C]glycerol, was inhibited by 26% and 66%, respectively. Bacitracin at 7 or 28μm inhibited biosynthesis of the major phospholipids (9% and 60%), glycolipids (25% and 85%) and polyisoprenyl pyrophosphate (75% at both concentrations). These results support the concept that polyisoprenyl pyrophosphate is involved directly in the biosynthesis of phospholipids, glycolipids and bacterioruberins in the extreme halophile H. cutirubrum.
- Received:
- Accepted:
- Revised:
- Published Online: