ISSN:
1432-072X
Keywords:
Archaea
;
Methanogen
;
Methanococcus deltae
;
Flagella
;
Glycosylation inhibition
;
Bacitracin
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Methanococcus deltae is an irregularly-shaped coccoid methanogen which possesses peritrichously arranged flagella. The flagella are composed of 2 flagellins of M r=27000 and 32000 and possess a carbohydrate component as determined by thymol-sulfuric acid staining of SDS-PAGE. Cell growth was sensitive to bacitracin at levels near 10 μg/ml. Growth in the presence of 5μg/ml bacitracin resulted in the appearance of presumably hypoglycosylated flagellins as detected by Western immunoblotting. Continual passage of cells from 5 μg/ml bacitracin through 10, 25, and 50 μg/ml bacitracin resulted in cells capable of growth at 100 μg/ml bacitracin. Western immunoblot analysis revealed that cells grown in the highest concentration of bacitracin no longer possessed native flagellins but only the hypoglycosylated forms. Electron microscopy corroborated the absence of normal flagella. These studies suggest that a bacitracin-sensitive dolichol-diphosphate carrier is responsible for attachment of at least a large proportion of the carbonhydrate content of the flagellins, and that a minimum amount of glycosylation is essential for normal flagellum assembly.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00249122
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