Bacteria in Nature: Volume 3: Structure, Physiology, and Genetic Adaptability

401 Pages·1989·13.1 MB·English

by  T. J. Beveridge (auth.)

BACTERIA
IN NATURE
Volume 3
Structure, Physiology,
and Genetic Adaptability
BACTERIA IN NATURE
Editors
Edward R. Leadbetter Jeanne S. Poindexter
The University ofConnecticut Long Island University
Storrs, Connecticut Brooklyn Campus
Brooklyn, New York
EditorialAdvisoryBoard
Albert Balows
J. Gijs Kuenen
Centersfor Disease Control
Delft University ofTechnology
L. E. Casida,Jr.
Barbara B. Lippincott
The Pennsylvania State University
Northwestern University
Richard W. Castenholz
R. G. E. Murray
University ofOregon
University ofWestern Ontario
Patricia H. Clarke
Monica Riley
University College, London
State University ofNew York
Martin Dworkin at Stony Brook
University ofMinnesota
Moshe Shilo
M. V. Ivanov Hebrew University,
USSR Academy ofScience Hadassah Medical School
Holger W. Jannasch Ralph S. Wolfe
Woods Hole Oceanographic University ofIllinois
Institution
David M. Karl
University ofHawaii
Volume1 BacterialActivitiesinPerspective
Volume2 MethodsandSpecialApplicationsinBacterialEcology
Volume3 Structure, Physiology, andGeneticAdaptability
BACTERIA
IN NATURE
Volume 3
Structure) Physiology)
and Genetic Adaptability
Edited by
Jeanne S. Poindexter
LongIsland University
Brooklyn Campus
Brooklyn, New York
and
Edward R. Leadbetter
The University ofConnecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
PLENUM PRESS • NEW YORK AND LONDON
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublication Data
(Revisedforvol.3)
Bacteriainnature.
Volume1haseditors'namesreversed.
Includesbibliographiesandindexes.
Contents: v. l. Bacterial activities in perspective-v. 2. Methods and special ap
plicationsinbacterialecology-v.3.Structure,physiology,andgeneticadaptability
l. Bacteria- Ecology- Collectedworks. 2. Bacteria- Collectedworks. 1. Leadbet
ter,EdwardR. II.Poindexter,JeanneS.OeanneStove).
QRI00.B33 1985 589.9'05 85-3433
ISBN-13: 978-1-46\2-8090-3 e-ISBN-13:978-1-46\3-0803-4
00\: 10.1007/978-1-4613-0803-4
Coverillustration: Detailedviewofbacterial activities
inasaltmarsh, drawn by N. Hamlettofthe Department of
Biology, SwarthmoreCollege, whileat the Marine Biological
Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
©1989PlenumPress, New York
Softcoverreprintofthehardcover1stedition1989
ADivisionofPlenumPublishingCorporation
233 SpringStreet, New York, N.Y. 10013
All rights reserved
Nopartofthisbook maybe reproduced, stored inaretrievalsystem, or transmitted
inany form orbyany means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, orotherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
PREFACE TO THE TREATISE
The effects of bacteria on their environments were known and variously explained by
human societies long before these microorganisms were recognized. Even after they had
been detected microscopically, nearly two centuries elapsed before it was demonstrated
that bacteria were causes, rather than effects, offermentations, infectious diseases, and
transformationsofbothorganicand inorganic materials insoils, waters, andsediments. It
was thesedemonstrationsoftheecologicalrolesofbacteriathatgave birthtobacteriology
as an experimental science. Theapplicationsofthe understandingofecological activities
ofbacteria have in no small part been responsible for this century's revolution in human
health and longevity through changes in agricultural, medical, and sanitation practices.
However, theecologyofbacteriahasonlyrelativelyrecentlyemergedasasciencein
itself, having as its goal the elucidation ofthe interactions of bacteria and their habitats
whetheror not those activities appear immediately relevant to human affairs. In this ten
volume treatise, it is our intention to present this broadened view of bacterial existence,
that the work may serve as a synthesis of current ideas and information that will be
valuable bothtobasic scientistsand tothosedirectlyengagedinapplicationsofscienceto
specificproblemsofhumanexistence. Ourhope isthat thecompletedprojectwillexpose
and explore the diversity of bacterial capabilities and culpabilities, limitations and sen
sitivities, and will imply the equally diverse ways in which they can be exploited. We
hope, especially, that investigators trained in other disciplines-clinicians, oceanogra
phers, molecular biologists, engineers-who may not expect that their disciplines are
interrelated with bacterial ecology, will find this treatise both stimulating and valuable.
The introductory volume traced main points in the history ofbacteriology that have
led to the present state of bacterial ecology, to the awareness that bacteria constitute
distinctivepopulationsthatseparatelyandinconcertaffectthephysiochemicalconditions
ofthe biosphere and interact, sometimes intimately, with other organisms. The second
volume reviewed and evaluated the technical and philosophical tools presently available
tothestudentofbacteriain nature. Itwas intendedtoprovideevaluationsofmethodsand
not to serve as a procedural manual.
Although the initial stimulusto interestin bacteriaarosefrom attemptstounderstand
naturalphenomenaandtodistinguishabioticfrombioticcausesofthesephenomena,most
of the progress in managing and learning about bacteria has been accomplished in the
laboratory, very largely through the study of pure cultures. While some devoted natu
ralists eschew the study of monotypic populations as artificialities, it would not be
possibletounderstandtheactivitiesofabacterialcommunityinignoranceoftheseparate,
respective potential activities of the members of the community. For this reason, this
volume and the following volume will comprise information regarding structure, com-
v
VI PREFACE TO THE TREATISE
poSItIon, genetics, physiology, and biochemistry of bacteria, obtained predominately
from pure culture studies, that is essential to unraveling the interactions ofbacteria with
theirenvironmentandwitheachother. Thegoalofthosevolumesis notsimplytoreview
the information, but to demonstrate its importance to inferences based on studies of
natural, polytypic populations.
The remaining six volumes in this series will explore bacterial habitats. Because a
bacterial activity ofany type-polymer solubilization, oxygen consumption, toxin pro
duction, orother-is notconfined to onetype ofhabitat, we anticipate thatsomegroups
of bacteria and some bacterial activities will be mentioned in more than one ecological
context. However, since the emphasis throughout the series will be on interactions, the
role ofthe habitat in influencing the extent and consequence of bacterial activities will
varywithitsowninherentstability, itsresiliencetotheeffectsofbacteria, anditscapacity
for supporting and restricting those activities. An additional reason for organizing the
treatise principally around habitats reflects the fact that human problems and advantages
that arise from bacterial activities are most often met within the context of a particular
kindofsite. Similarly, thegeneralecologicalsignificanceofabacterialactivityispropor
tional to the rate ofactivity allowed by a habitat, the geographical extent ofthe habitat,
andthedegreeofdependenceofotherformsoflifeontheconditionofthehabitataffected
bythatactivity. Accordingly, forallconceptualandpracticalpurposesotherthanclassifi
cation, thestudyofbacterialecologyis, webelieve, mostusefullypresentedbygrouping
the information into volumes that reflect the manner in which bacterial communities are
gathered and interact in nature.
The treatise will conclude with aconsiderationofthefrontiers and the relic habitats
ofthebiosphere,thoseenvironmentsinhabitedalmostsolelybybacteria. Modembiology
recognizes bacteria as the pioneering populations-demonstrably so in the past and pre
dictably so in the future-ofthis and possibly also ofother worlds. It is the humble yet
confidenthopeoftheeditorsthattheinsightsandexperimentalresultsoftoday'sbacterial
ecologists, compiled in these volumes, will contribute significantly to the continuing
elucidation of the roles and potentials of our bacterial cohabitants-so long a major
influence on this earth, yet only so recently appreciated.
This series was conceived partly as a result ofourparticipation as instructors in the
summerprogramin microbialecologyatthe MarineBiologicalLaboratory, Woods Hole,
Massachusetts. Our interests in bacterial ecology antedate that participation by many
years, having been earlier stimulated and guided by R. A. Slepecky and I. W. Foster
(E.R.L.), by W. A. Konetzka and R. Y. Stanier (I.S.P.), and by one of the greatest
appreciators of microorganisms, C. B. van Niel. To our colleagues-students and fac
ulty-in the M.B.L. course, and to our several,mentors, we dedicate this series.
The Editors
CONTRIBUTORS
T. J. BEVERIDGE,DepartmentofMicrobiology, CollegeofBiologicalScience, University
ofGuelph, Guelph, Ontario. Canada N1G 2W1
STANLEYDAGLEY,DepartmentofBiochemistry, CollegeofBiologicalSciences. Univer
sity ofMinnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
EDWIN A. DAWES, Department ofAppliedBiology, University ofHull, Hull, England
HU67RX
DONALDG. LUNDGREN, BiologyDepartment, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
13210
JACK PREISS, Department ofBiochemistry. Michigan State University, East Lansing,
Michigan 48824-1319
WILLIAM S. REZNIKOFF, Department ofBiochemistry, College ofAgricultural andLife
Sciences, University ofWisconsin, Madison. Wisconsin 53706
MONICA RILEY, BiochemistryDepartment, State University ofNew YorkatStonyBrook,
Stony Brook. New York 11794
vu
PREFACE
The value ofstudies ofmonotypic populations is constantly argued in bacterial ecology.
Thecontroversyitselfisevidenceofthestrongawarenessthatbacterialactivitiesinnatural
sites are not determined by the bacteria alone. At the same time, the best evidence that
bacteriaare influenced byenvironmentalfactors is the contrastbetween theirbehaviorin
laboratory cultures and their relatively subdued influence when in the presence ofcom
petitors, predators, andfluctuating-often stressful-environmental conditions.
Monotypic populationsareadmittedlyreductionist, butare nottherefore irrelevantto
bacterial ecology. Quitethe contrary. Without pureculture studies, our understanding of
important and applicable bacterial activities-Nzfixation, for example-would still be
limited to what we could discern from a comparison ofevents in steamed vis-a-vis un
heated soil.
As was evident throughout the previous volume in this treatise, practically any
method of studying natural bacterial communities upsets them while permitting only
limitedassessmentofthe respectivequalities and quantitativecontributions to total com
munityactivityofeachtypeofbacteriumpresent. Totalactivityitselfisdifficulttoassess
and is not dependably accomplished by any single method.
This third volumecomprises informationregarding the propertiesofbacteriaas they
have been learned largely from pure culture studies. Its purpose is twofold: to provide
readers with fundamental information regarding the cellular organization, physiological
capabilities, and genetic systems of bacteria; and to connect known bacterial properties
with environmental influences on them and with their influences on natural processes.
Included are a generously illustrated presentation ofthe diversity ofbacterial struc
ture (Chapter I) and anextensivediscussion ofbacterial growth and ofsurvival when the
environment does not support growth (Chapter 2), followed by a detailed description of
the metabolismofbacterial "foresight" in theaccumulationofreserve nutrients (Chapter
3). Chapters 4 and 5 are expositions of bacterial exploitation of two energy resources:
organic materials, and inorganic substances. The volume concludes with two chapters
concerned with genetic interactions with environmental demands, within a few genera
tions and over the course ofthe earth's history-and future.
As awhole, this volume presents bacteriaas minute butcomplex livingsystemsthat
have brought adiversityofabiotic processes under life's control and added strictlybiotic
versions to natural transformations. In doing so, bacteria-in response to changing en
vironments-havegeneratedawealthofheritableinformation, includinginformationthat
provides genetic mechanisms for further diversificationofboth organization and physio
logic capabilities.
ix
x PREFACE
The editors wish to express their gratitude to those authors whose chapters were
updatedduringtheprolongedpreparationofthisvolumeforpublication,andtoDr. Nancy
Hamlett for providing for the cover one ofher artistic renderings ofbacteria in nature.
The Editors