Effect of growth conditions on morphology of Hydrogenomonas facilis and on yield of a phospholipoprotein.

Hydrogenomonas facilis grown heterotrophically on fructose with very low aeration eventually ceased to divide and produced elongated forms. Short forms were obtained from fructose-grown long forms by increasing the availability of oxygen to the organisms. A phospholipoprotein, the protein moiety of which is known to be present in the cell envelope, precipitated upon lowering the ionic strength of extracts from cells in the earlier stages of elongation (i.e., in the middle and late log phase of growth). The maximal yield of the protein moiety of the phospholipoprotein precipitate (i.e., grams of protein/grams of soluble protein x 100) was 2%. Poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid accumulated as growth on fructose progressed, the accumulation being more marked with lower aeration.