Synthesis of Flagella by Amino Acid-Requiring Mutants of Salmonella typhimurium

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Abstract
Amino acid-requiring mutants of Salmonella typhimurium were examined for their ability to regenerate flagella when incubated with a source of N and of energy, but in the absence of the amino acid required for growth. The mutants fell into 2 major groups and one intermediate group. The major groups were (a) mutants requiring for growth an amino acid (such as leucine or tyrosine) present in flagellin and unable to regenerate flagella in the absence of this amino acid, (b) mutants requiring for growth an amino acid (such as tryptophan or cysteine) not present in flagellin and able to regenerate flagella in the absence of this amino acid. The intermediate group (c) contained mutants requiring for growth an amino acid (such as histidine or methionine) present in small amount in flagella in the absence of this amino acid. With all the mutants tested there was no significant net synthesis of RNA or protein in the absence of the amino acid required for growth, but DNA synthesis did occur.