Effect of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) content on the starvation-survival of bacteria in natural waters

LÓPEZ, N.I., FLOCCARI, M.E.; STEINBÜCHEL, A.; GARCÍA, A.F. & B.S. MÉNDEZ

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY

Elsevier Science Publishers, B.V., Amsterdam

Año: 1995 vol. 16 p. 95 - 102

0168-6496

Abstract The effect of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) content on the survival of wild-type strains and PHB negative mutants of Bacillus megaterium and Alcaligenes eutrophus in natural waters was studied. The survival strategy of B. megaterium was dominated by the development of resistant forms, but the number of the wild-type vegetative cells was higher than that of PHB mutant strain. In some environmental conditions the mutant spores needed a heat shock for germination, a fact that suggests, for the first time, that PHB plays a role in this phenomenon. Survival of A. eutrophus wild-type strain in all experiments was higher compared to the PHB mutant, and differences were significant. In raw river water, survival of both species was lower than in sterile river water.