Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability
The genus Leptothrix, a type of Fe/Mn-oxidizing bacteria, is characterized by its formation of an extracellular and microtubular sheath. Although almost all sheaths harvested from natural aquatic environments are hollow, a few chained bacterial cells are occasionally seen within some sheaths of youn...
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MDPI AG
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/4/1/50 |
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| author | Tatsuki Kunoh Tomoko Suzuki Tomonori Shiraishi Hitoshi Kunoh Jun Takada |
| author_facet | Tatsuki Kunoh Tomoko Suzuki Tomonori Shiraishi Hitoshi Kunoh Jun Takada |
| author_sort | Tatsuki Kunoh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The genus Leptothrix, a type of Fe/Mn-oxidizing bacteria, is characterized by its formation of an extracellular and microtubular sheath. Although almost all sheaths harvested from natural aquatic environments are hollow, a few chained bacterial cells are occasionally seen within some sheaths of young stage. We previously reported that sheaths of Leptothrix sp. strain OUMS1 cultured in artificial media became hollow with aging due to spontaneous autolysis within the sheaths. In this study, we investigated environmental conditions that lead the OUMS1 cells to die. Treatment of the cells with ultrapure water or acidic buffers (pH 6.0) caused autolysis of the cells. Under these conditions, the plasma membrane and cytoplasm of cells were drastically damaged, resulting in leakage of intracellular electrolytes and relaxation of genomic DNA. The autolysis was suppressed by the presence of Ca2+. The hydrolysis of peptidoglycan by the lysozyme treatment similarly caused autolysis of the cells and was suppressed also by the presence of Ca2+. However, it remains unclear whether the acidic pH-dependent autolysis is attributable to damage of peptidoglycan. It was observed that L. discophora strain SP-6 cells also underwent autolysis when suspended in ultrapure water; it is however, uncertain whether this phenomenon is common among other members of the genus Leptothrix. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:46:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e21def23ca043e195175f897bb545c3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:46:54Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-1e21def23ca043e195175f897bb545c32023-09-03T00:29:34ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372015-01-0141506610.3390/biology4010050biology4010050Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their ViabilityTatsuki Kunoh0Tomoko Suzuki1Tomonori Shiraishi2Hitoshi Kunoh3Jun Takada4Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Okayama 700-8530, JapanCore Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Okayama 700-8530, JapanResearch Institute for Biological Sciences, Okayama 700-8530, JapanCore Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Okayama 700-8530, JapanCore Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Okayama 700-8530, JapanThe genus Leptothrix, a type of Fe/Mn-oxidizing bacteria, is characterized by its formation of an extracellular and microtubular sheath. Although almost all sheaths harvested from natural aquatic environments are hollow, a few chained bacterial cells are occasionally seen within some sheaths of young stage. We previously reported that sheaths of Leptothrix sp. strain OUMS1 cultured in artificial media became hollow with aging due to spontaneous autolysis within the sheaths. In this study, we investigated environmental conditions that lead the OUMS1 cells to die. Treatment of the cells with ultrapure water or acidic buffers (pH 6.0) caused autolysis of the cells. Under these conditions, the plasma membrane and cytoplasm of cells were drastically damaged, resulting in leakage of intracellular electrolytes and relaxation of genomic DNA. The autolysis was suppressed by the presence of Ca2+. The hydrolysis of peptidoglycan by the lysozyme treatment similarly caused autolysis of the cells and was suppressed also by the presence of Ca2+. However, it remains unclear whether the acidic pH-dependent autolysis is attributable to damage of peptidoglycan. It was observed that L. discophora strain SP-6 cells also underwent autolysis when suspended in ultrapure water; it is however, uncertain whether this phenomenon is common among other members of the genus Leptothrix.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/4/1/50Leptothrixcell death induced by UPWacidic pH to cell viabilitylack of Ca2+ to cell viabilitypeptidoglycandamage of bacterial membranerelaxation of DNAelectrolytes leakage |
| spellingShingle | Tatsuki Kunoh Tomoko Suzuki Tomonori Shiraishi Hitoshi Kunoh Jun Takada Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability Biology Leptothrix cell death induced by UPW acidic pH to cell viability lack of Ca2+ to cell viability peptidoglycan damage of bacterial membrane relaxation of DNA electrolytes leakage |
| title | Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability |
| title_full | Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability |
| title_fullStr | Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability |
| title_short | Treatment of Leptothrix Cells with Ultrapure Water Poses a Threat to Their Viability |
| title_sort | treatment of leptothrix cells with ultrapure water poses a threat to their viability |
| topic | Leptothrix cell death induced by UPW acidic pH to cell viability lack of Ca2+ to cell viability peptidoglycan damage of bacterial membrane relaxation of DNA electrolytes leakage |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/4/1/50 |
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