Thermally Induced Leakage from Vibrio marinus , an Obligately Psychrophilic Marine Bacterium

Abstract

Haight, Rodger D. (Oregon State University, Corvallis), and Richard Y. Morita . Thermally induced leakage from Vibrio marinus , an obligately psychrophilic bacterium. J. Bacteriol. 92: 1388–1393. 1966.—Leakage of various cellular components into the surrounding menstruum occurred when Vibrio marinus was subjected to temperatures above 20 C (organism's maximal growth temperature). These materials, listed in decreasing rates of leakage, were identified as protein, deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and amino acids. The amount of polar amino acids increased as the time and temperature of heat treatment were increased, whereas the nonpolar amino acids decreased. The ribonucleic acid in the supernatant fluid resulting from heat treatment was both polymeric and nonpolymeric. Leakage of cellular components may be one of the reasons that V. marinus MP-1 loses viability when exposed to temperatures above its maximal temperature for growth.