Possible role of a choline-containing teichoic acid in the maintenance of normal cell shape and physiology in Streptococcus oralis

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Abstract
Streptococcus oralis ATCC 35037 took up radioactively labeled choline from growth medium. Most of the choline (80 to 90%) was incorporated into the cell wall teichoic acid, and about 10% was localized in the plasma membrane. While cells grew in choline-free medium, they did so at slow rates and produced cell walls with greatly reduced amounts of phosphate and no detectable choline. Cells grown in choline-free medium had grossly abnormal shape and size. Both biochemical and morphological abnormalities were reversible by addition of choline to the medium.