Location of exchangeable cations within the spore of Clostridium perfringens
Tsuzuki, T.; Ando, Y.
Nihon Saikingaku Zasshi. Japanese Journal of Bacteriology 37(5): 875-881
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4930 PMID: 6296480 Document Number: 185334
Studies were undertaken to identify the active sites of exchangeable cations within the spore of C. perfringens type A NCTC 8238. Spores were converted by the base exchange technique to various ionic forms. Ca- and Sr-spores as well as native spores were fractionated by mechanical disruption, extraction with DTT and extraction with EDTA. The Ca and Sr contents of the soluble fraction of the disrupted spores were much higher than those of the insoluble fraction. These results did not appear to reflect the precise location of in situ Ca and Sr, since the drastic disruption of spores would cause redistribution of such exchangeable cations. Although the major amounts of Ca and Sr in these spores were found in the lysozyme-soluble fractions after being extracted with DTT, the DTT extract of Sr-spores contained a significant amount of Sr and reduced amount of Ca. Most of Sr in Sr-spores was extracted with EDTA. Electron probe X-ray microanalysis of the intact Sr-spores before and after treatment with EDTA confirmed that Sr was located in the spore integuments, mostly in the coats and partially in the peripheral layers of the cortex.