Autolysis of high-GC isolates of Pseudomonas putrefaciens

High-GC isolates of P. putrefaciens undergo extensive autolysis after growth, resulting in a marked decrease in turbidity and the release of high-molecular-weight DNA which imparts a high viscosity to culture broths. The native DNA released is resistant to attack by the exocellular DNase activity of the culture broths. Autolysis is inhibited by a pH of 6.0 and the presence of 0.001 m Mg⁺⁺ or Ca⁺⁺, and is enhanced by elevated pH values and temperatures. This autolytic phenomenon in broth cultures readily distinguishes high- from low-GC isolates. The latter do not exhibit autolysis.Paper No. 1093, Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, University of massachusetts at Amherst. This research was supported in part from Experiment Station Project No. 194 and Public Health Service Research grant FD 00153-09.