Effect of strain variation and growth phase of culture on dry weight and hexosamine content of cell wall layers of a marine pseudomonad.

Two variants of marine pseudomonad B-16 (ATCC 19855) differing in that one, variant 3, formed opaque colonies and the other, variant 7, formed translucent colonies were examined to determine if the variants differed in the amount and hexosamine content of their three outer cell wall layers. In both variants, the three outer layers of the cell wall, the loosely bound outer layer, the outer double-track layer, and the underlying (periplasmic space) layer contributed less to the dry weight of the cells when the cells were harvested in the stationary than in the logarithmic phase of growth. The hexosamine content of the layers of variant 3 increased dramatically as the cells went from the logarithmic to the stationary phase. The hexosamine content of the layers of variant 7 changed little by comparison. Thus cells of the variant which forms opaque colonies enrich the outer layers of their cell wall with hexosamine when grown to stationary phase.