Effect of thorium on the growth and capsule morphology of Bradyrhizobium.
Environ Microbiol
; 5(10): 916-24, 2003 Oct.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-14510845
ABSTRACT
The thorium effect on Bradyrhizobium growth was assayed in liquid media. Th4+ inhibited the growth of Bradyrhizobium (Chamaecytisus) BGA-1, but this effect decreased in the presence of suspensions of live or dead bacterial cells. Th4+ induced the formation of a gel-like precipitate when added to a dense suspension of B. (Chamaecytisus) BGA-1 cells. Viable Bradyrhizobium cells remained in suspension after precipitate formation. Thorium was recovered in the precipitate, in which polysaccharide, lipopolysaccharide and proteins were also found. After Th4+ addition, the morphology of B. (Chamaecytisus) BGA-1 or Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110 sedimented cells studied by scanning electron microscopy changed from an entangled network of capsulated bacteria to uncapsulated individual cells and an amorphous precipitate. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that thorium was mainly in the amorphous fraction. Precipitate was also formed between B. (Chamaecytisus) BGA-1 and Al3+, which was also toxic to this bacterium. Precipitate induced by Th4+ or Al3+ was found in all Bradyrhizobium and Sinorhizobium strains tested, but not in Rhizobium, Salmonella typhimurium, Aerobacter aerogenes or Escherichia coli. These results suggest a specific defence mechanism based on metal precipitation by extracellular polymers.
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Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Torio
/
Cápsulas Bacterianas
/
Bradyrhizobium
Idioma:
En
Año:
2003
Tipo del documento:
Article