Preparation and Properties of Active Membrane Systems from Various Species of Bacteria

Abstract

Integrated membrane systems active in synthesizing nucleic-acid and protein were obtained from several species of bacteria by treatment with lysozyme followed by osmotic shock in the presence of 0.005 M MgCl2. Their incorporating activities of P32 into the nucleic-acid fraction were compared. An active membrane system (MgP) from Pseudomonas-P could incorporate P32 into the nucleic-acid fraction. Active membrane systems from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli K 12 were obtained and the properties of these preparations were similar to that from Pseudomonas-P. An integrated membrane system from Micrococcus lysodeikticus could incorporate P32 into the nucleic-acid fraction. The properties of the preparation were different in that it could incorporate p32 without an exogenous energy source. The membrane systems from Bacillus subtilis SB 15 and Bacillus megaterium could not oxidize casamino acids. The absence of oxidizing activity was probably the main reason that they could not actively incorporate P32 into the nucleic-acid fraction.