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Summary: The survival of Nocardia corallina and the degradation of constituents were examined during periods of starvation. Organisms were harvested at the end of the growth phase and were starved, after resuspending in phosphate buffer containing Mg2+, with vigorous aeration at 30°C. Viability fell gradually to 50 % over a period of 480 h. After 48 h of starvation the dry weight of the organisms was reduced by 35% and the Q O2, was decreased from 10 to approximately 1. The fall in dry weight coincided with a decrease of microbial polysaccharide from 25 % to 7 % of the initial dry weight. After this degradation of polysaccharide there was a decrease in microbial protein and a release of ammonia into the supernatant. The contribution of different constituents to the total decrease in dry weight during a period of 240 h starvation was; polysaccharide, 40 %; protein, 25 %; RNA, 6%; total fatty acids, 5%. Loss of viability could not be directly correlated with the utilization of any particular constituent. |
