The Influence of Temperature and pH Value on the Macro-molecular Composition of Magnesium-limited and Glycerol-limited Aerobacter aerogenes Growing in a Chemostat

Abstract

SUMMARY Progressive alteration of the incubation temperature of Aerobacter aerogenes cultures, growing in a chemostat at a fixed dilution rate, caused a progressive change in bacterial concentration and in bacterial RNA, carbohydrate and protein contents; the DNA content did not vary significantly. The change in bacterial RNA concentration was associated with a variation in bacterial ribosome content, similar to that found in organisms grown at a fixed temperature but different dilution rates. Changes in bacterial yield also resulted from alterations in the pH value of the culture, but corresponding changes in bacterial RNA, carbohydrate and protein contents were small.