CELLULAR DISINTEGRATION WITH CONCOMITANT RELEASE OF SLIME AND PRODUCTION OF EXTRACELLULAR MANNAN BY PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA: TWO SEPARATE PHENOMENA

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 64 has previously been demonstrated to produce an extracellular slime material containing deoxyribonucleic acid and mannan as major constituents. Results reported here indicate that the extracellular deoxyribonucleic acid arises spontaneously from an intracellular origin owing to cellular disintegration without experimental intervention. Cellular disintegration occurs between the first and fifth days of cultivation. It is suggested that cellular disintegration may be due to lysogenic and (or) pyocinogenic phenomena.Production of extracellular mannan, on the other hand, was shown to occur during the first 24 hours of cultivation. Mannose, which was demonstrated to be a carbohydrate of the cell membrane, was not present in cells in sufficient quantity to account for total extracellular mannan. Thus, mannan was indicated to be synthesized de novo and excreted into the medium, possibly as a capsular polysaccharide.Glucose and glucosamine were the only two carbohydrates detected in hydrolysates of cell walls of P. aeruginosa strain 64, while mannose was the only carbohydrate detected in cell membranes.