EFFECTS OF SOME METALLIC IONS ON GLUTAMYL POLYPEPTIDE SYNTHESIS BY BACILLUS SUBTILIS

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Abstract
The synthesis of glutamyl polypeptide by B. subtilis during growth in a chemically defined medium was dependent upon the metallic ion composition of the medium. Although addition of 1.5 x 10-7 [image] Mn++ resulted in maximum growth, the yield of peptide was low. Increasing the concentration of Mn++ to 6.15 x 10-4 [image] resulted in maximum yields of peptide. Likewise, addition of 1.02 x 10-3 [image] Ca++ in the presence of the minimum concentration of Mn++ required for growth gave maximum yields of peptide. The proportion of D-glutamic acid in the peptide was independent of the Ca++ concentration but varied from 38 to 86% with increasing concentrations of Mn++, Co++, or Zn++. Other inorganic ions in the medium did not affect the proportions of D- and L-isomers in the peptide. Mn++ was also effective in prolonging the viability of cells and this effect was enhanced by increasing the concentration of K2HPO4.