The effect of low concentrations of calcium and phosphate salts on bacterial luminescence intensity

✍ Scribed by Schneyer, Leon H.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1951
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 641 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9898
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1030370212

✦ Synopsis

THRICE FIGURES

Calcium and phosphate salts separately inhibit bacterial luminescence intensity (Johnson and Harvey, '37 and '38). Claren ('38) has reported that low concentrations of phosphate stimulate the respiration of luminous bacteria and that the addition of small amounts of magnesium increases this stimulation. Magnesium alone does not stimulate respiration.

The results of the work reported here show clearly that while calcium and phosphate salts separately and in relatively high concentration inhibit luminescence intensity as reported by Johnson and Harvey, low concentrations of these salts (10 mM Ca and 2.8 niM PO,) in solution together markedly inorease the intensity of luminescence. The degree to which this effect is manifested depends upon the temperature and pressure conditions.

The work of Brown, Johnson, Eyring, Marsland and coworkers ('42) has elucidated the role of reversible denaturation in the mediation of the biological effects of temperature, pressure, and inhibitors. These workers h a w shown that, in an7 *Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doe. tor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Scienec at New Pork University.

a This investigation mas carried on as part of a project a t New York University concerning the action of the cinchona alkaloids, directed by Dr. Dugald Brown, and aided by a grant from thc Cinchona Products Institute, Inc.