Poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid in staphylococci

Abstract

Poly‐β‐hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) was extracted from various species of staphylococci isolated from different sources. IR and UV spectrophotometry and NMR analysis revealed that the compound consisted only of the β‐hydroxybutyrate. The PHB level in the richest strain among investigated staphylococci is about 64‐fold less than in bacilli. The intrinsic viscosity number of this polymer is more than twice greater in the case of the staphylococcal product than that of bacilli.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates in Gram-positive bacteria: insights from the genera Bacillus and Streptomyces

“…Staphylococcus P(3HB) has been extracted from various species of Staphylococci such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (Szewczyk and Mikucki 1989). P(3HB) is present in cells in trace quantities (such as 0.15% w/w dcw for S. aureus grown in fructose) and most importantly it does not form granules as in other bacteria indicating possible existence as cPHB.…”

“…P(3HB) is present in cells in trace quantities (such as 0.15% w/w dcw for S. aureus grown in fructose) and most importantly it does not form granules as in other bacteria indicating possible existence as cPHB. However, the metabolic roles of PHAs in this genus is poorly understood (Szewczyk 1992).…”

“…(Kannan and Rehacek 1970;Manna et al 1999;Verma et al 2002) and Staphylococcus spp. (Szewcyk and Mikucki 1989;Wong et al 2000) accumulate PHAs. Further, interestingly, the Gram-positive genera Corynebacterium, Nocardia and Rhodococcus are the only wild-type bacteria, which naturally synthesize the commercially important co-polymer P(3HB-co-3HV) from simple carbon sources such as glucose (Haywood et al 1991;Alvarez et al 2000).…”

Identification of some bacterial cell components by FT-IR spectroscopy

“…Already in formerly published studies, detection of intracellular polysac-* Dedicated to Prof. Dr charides [13,14], poly-P-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) granules [15], and endospores [16] was reported by authors using dispersive infrared spectroscopy. More recently, after the advent of modem and computerised Fourier-Transform IR spectroscopy some authors reported more details about PHB extracted from staphylococci [17] and exopolymer in Pseudomonas atlantica [18]. In the latter study difference spectra and band ratios for analysis of cell components of powdered bacteria were given for the first time.…”

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate in staphylococci

“…PHB occurred only in some of the investigated strains. In 1989 we published work which proved that PHB is accumulated by all staphylococci but in changing and small, sometimes trace, amounts [10]. Large batches of staphylococci isolated from different sources were grown on Nutrient Broth enriched with 1% glucose.…”