Physiology of sporeforming bacteria associated with insects. V. Tricarboxylic acid cycle activity and adenosine triphosphate levels in Bacillus popilliae and Bacillus thuringiensis
Six tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes were assayed in cell-free extracts of Bacillus popilliae and B. thuringiensis at various times during the early and late stationary phases of growth. In B. popilliae, citrate synthase and isocitric dehydrogenase were present at very low levels at all times. After completion of exponential growth, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in B. popilliae cells fell over 100-fold and the cells failed to sporulate. Supplementation with glucose allowed reestablishment of high ATP levels but did not allow sporulation. Resuspension of postexponential cells of B. popilliae in glucose-supplemented spent broth prepared from a sporogenous strain of B. subtilis did not allow sporulation. This technique had previously been successful in allowing sporulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle mutants of B. subtilis. In contrast, B. thuringiensis tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes increased in activity after completion of exponential growth, ATP levels remained high, and most cells in the population underwent sporulation.