Competence in Continuous Cultures of Bacillus subtilis: Inhibition by Arginine and Reversal of the Inhibition by Mn2+

Summary: Arginine inhibited the competence of Bacillus subtilis growing in a chemostat at a dilution rate of 0·277 h-1. The biosynthesis of competence-stimulating activity was only partially repressed. The inhibitory effect may be due to an alteration in the cell's capacity for being stimulated to competence and/or in its ability to take up DNA irreversibly. MnSO4 at 10-6 m restored competence immediately.