Characterization ofBacillus subtilissporulation and bacteriophage infection via FT-IR spectroscopy

Abstract

A comparative analysis on cultures from wild-type and sporulation mutants ofBacillus subtilisinfected with pseudotemperate spore-converting bacteriophages was performed to discern differences in the chemical functionality of the cellular population. Variations in the cell surface chemistry ofB. subtiliscultures were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy of dried sample films on optical plates. Comparison of wild-type and phage infected cultures revealed an increase in the amount of aliphatic ester in the infected populations. Spectral analysis of cultures from bacteriophage infected sporulation mutants,spo0Kandspo0Jrevealed varying levels of ester linkages.