Polyphosihate Accumulation and Utilization as Related to Synchronized Cell Division of Corynebacterium Diphhtheriae'

In previous studies, Sall et al. (1956) employing resting cells of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Mludd et al. (1956, 1958) employing resting cells of Mycobacteria, demonstrated that malate as substrate enhances the accumulation of polyphosphate (metaphosphate) in the form of metachromatic granules and glucose promotes the withdcrawal of polyphosphate. Similarly, AIudd et al. (1958), employing p32, showed that, in growing cultures of Mycobacterium thamnopheos, malate as substrate or azaserine as inhibitor favors the (leposition of polyphosphate, whereas glucose as substrate or dinitrophenol as inhibitor promotes the utilization of polyphosphate to form ribonucleic acid. Various applications of synchronized cell division to metabolic and cytological studies have recently been reviewed by Campbell (1957). In the present study, utilizing synchronously dividing cells of C. diphtheriae, a physiological deposition an(l utilization of polyphosphate has been (lemonstrated in relation to the cycle of cell division.