Stimulatory effect of hydrostatic pressure on cell division in cultures of Escherichia coli.

[14-C] Thymine incorporation into a trichloracetic acid-insoluble fraction of Escherichia coli HMS83 polA1 polB1 and cell division were observed as a function of time. The data presented show that hydrostatic pressures of about 600 x 10-5 N/m-2 stimulate that part of the division process which leads to the separation of cells. The kinetics of [14-C] thymine incorporation by this mutant suggest that completion of rounds of replication at high pressures is not dependent on DNA polymerases I or II or at least on high levels of these enzymes.