ACCUMULATION OF INORGANIC POLYPHOSPHATE INAEROBACTER AEROGENESI

Abstract

Harold, F. M. (National Jewish Hospital, Denver, Colo.). Accumulation of inorganic polyphosphate in Aerobacter aerogenes. I. Relationship to growth and nucleic acid synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 86:216–221. 1963.—Growing cells of Aerobacter aerogenes contain traces of inorganic polyphosphate, but large amounts often accumulate when growth ceases as the result of a nutritional deficiency. The reciprocal relationship between growth and polyphosphate accumulation was traced to competition between nucleic acid synthesis and polyphosphate for intracellular phosphorus. Polyphosphate accumulated only after nucleic acid synthesis had ceased. Resumption of nucleic acid synthesis (with or without concurrent cell growth) induced rapid degradation of the polyphosphate with transfer of the phosphorus to ribonucleic acid (RNA). At the same time, incorporation of P³² into polyphosphate was reduced, though not abolished. Competition for adenosine triphosphate may be part of the explanation. In addition, it appears that polyphosphate degradation is accelerated under conditions which permit rapid nucleic acid synthesis, the phosphorus released being trapped in RNA.