Glutamine and the growth of <i>Streptococcus haemolyticus</i>

McIlwain, H.; Fildes, Paul; Gladstone, G. P.; Knight, B. C. J. G.

doi:10.1042/bj0330223

Cited by 59 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…McIlwain, Fildes, Gladstone & Knight (1939) showed that certain haemolytic streptococci were unable to grow in the absence of glutamine although glutamic acid is present. It is possible that glutamine (isoelectric point 5.56) passes the bacterial cell wall more easily than glutamic acid so the experiment was repeated with glutamine; the use of the decarboxylase preparation on boiled cells does not distinguish between glutamine and glutamic acid.…”

Section: Glutamic Acid and Glutaminementioning

confidence: 99%

The Assimilation of Amino-acids by Bacteria: 1. The Passage of certain Amino-acids across the Cell wall and their concentration in the internal environment of Streptococcus faecalis

Gale¹

1947

Journal of General Microbiology

184

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY: By a method for determining the free amino-acid content of bacterial cells, Streptococcus faecalis (Lancefield Group D) was found to have free lysine, glutamic acid, ornithine and histidine in its internal environment, the amount depending to a certain extent upon the growth medium. The internal lysine and glutadc acid are unable to diffuse out of the cells when these are suspended in water or suitable salt solutions.When the cells are grown in a medium deficient in amino-acids, the internal environment is also deficient and those cells can be used to study the conditions governing the passage of certain amino-acids into the cell. Lysine enters the cell by diffusion, probably passing the cell wall in the isoelectric state. Glutamic acid, glutamine and histidine cannot pass across the cell wall unless energy is supplied by some exergonic metabolism such as the simultaneous fermentation of glucose. Under equilibrium conditions the internal concentration of free lysine or glutamic acid within the cell is markedly greater than that outside; the lower the external concentration, the higher the concentration difference across the cell wall.Glutamic acid inside the cell can pass out into the external environment if fermentation is taking place. The final equilibrium conditions are the same whether the glutamic acid is entering or leaving the cell. Lysine cannot diffuse freely out of the cell, but outward migration takes place if fermentation occurs simultaneously. The uptake of lysine by deficient cells is decreased by the presence of glucose and this effect is, in turn, partially abolished by the uptake of glutamic acid in the presence of glucose.Recent studies of bacterial metabolism have thrown considerable light on the amino-acid requirements of bacteria, and of the mechanisms utilized for the breakdown of amino-acids. Generally speaking, the organisms appear to fall into two groups. Members of the first group, which includes many organisms loosely classified as Gram-negative, are able to synthesize most if not all of their amino-acid requirements and also to produce a variety of catabolic mechanisms. Members of the second group, which includes many Gram-positive organisms, are often able to synthesize but few of their amino-acid requirements and have very restricted catabolic activities towards amino-acids. Moreover, the growth processes of the second group (e.g. Strep. huemolyticus) are markedly more susceptible to interference by bacteriostatic agents such as penicillin, the sulphonamides, certain dyes, etc., than are those of the first group (e.g. Bacterium coli). There would appear to be some fundamental difference between the two groups the elucidation of which should add materially to our knowledge of bacterial growth processes and their inhibition by chemical means. 54E . l? Gale two groups, but little is known, as yet, of the biochemical changes that intervene between the synthesis of amino-acids and their eventual appearance as bacterial protein. This series of papers represents an attempt to in...

show abstract

Section: Glutamic Acid and Glutaminementioning

confidence: 99%

The Assimilation of Amino-acids by Bacteria: 1. The Passage of certain Amino-acids across the Cell wall and their concentration in the internal environment of Streptococcus faecalis

Gale¹

1947

Journal of General Microbiology

184

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…McIlwain et al (220) reported that most strains of Streptococcus hemolyticus require glutamine for growth, and that the stimulating action of meat extract is due to its glutaniine content. Growth of the streptococci took place, though less actively, if glutamate ( a t a concentration 100 times greater) was supplied instead of glutamine (219).…”

Section: Glutamine As An Essential Growth Factormentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen Metabolism of Higher Plants

Street¹

1949

Advances in Enzymology - And Related Areas of Molecular Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…This concentration is about the same as the least concentration of biotin which is effective for yeast. Various strains of diphtheria bacilli (Mueller & Klotz, 1938), hemolytic streptococci (Subbarow & Rane, 1939;McIlwain, 1939; Woolley & Hutchings, 1939;Krauskopf et al 1939), and Proteus (Pelczar & Porter, 1940) also require pantothenic acid for growth. In the case of the lactic acid bacteria B-alanine cannot serve as a nutrilite.…”

Section: T H I S Was Obtained In (+)mentioning

confidence: 99%