A Probable Growth Cycle in Bacillus megaterium

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Abstract
SUMMARY: The sequence of events which occurs as Bacillus megatem'urn grows and divides is shown to involve cells with fusion nuclei and cells which undergo an apparently sexual process. An account is also given of the part played in cell division by granules associated with the cell membrane. These resemble mito- chondria in that they are centres of intense oxidative activity, and they are shown to be related to growing points which have been reported in other organisms. Life cycles have been described in many micro-organisms, and much work has been done in interpreting observed processes; this has been well summarized and reviewed (Bisset, 1950,1951a). There have been recent papers by Mudd, Winterscheid, DeLamater & Henderson (1951) and Mudd, Brodie, Winter- scheid, Hartman, Beutner & McLean (1951), which describe cytochemical and electron microscope investigations into the existence of mitochondria in bacteria. These have revealed granules of high oxidative activity in certain aerobic organisms. Bisset (1951 b), using ordinary stains, has shown that some bacteria have regions of more active growth, which he termed growing points. I have found that growing points can be demonstrated in HC1-Giemsa preparations of many species of bacteria (Bergersen, 1952). Bisset (1958) has shown that the appearances described by Mudd et al. (1951 a, b) are merely growing points and often entire distorted cells. It was with the object of further investigation of the two views that the present work was undertaken.
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