Synthesis of teichoic acids. VII. Synthesis of teichoic acids during spore germination.

The synthesis of teichoic acids has been examined during germination in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 and in B. subtilis W-23. Teichoic acids are absent from the spores of both organisms. B. licheniformis spores lack the enzymes responsible for teichoic acid synthesis. The appearance of these enzymes during germination is correlated with the appearance of teichoic acids in the cell. The appearance of teichoic acid-synthesizing enzymes and of teichoic acids in the cell are inhibited by the addition of chloramphenicol to the germination medium. In B. subtilis W-23 the situation is similar for the synthesis of polyribitolphosphate. The synthesis of glucosyl polyribitolphosphate is only partially inhibited by chloramphenicol, puromycin, and penicillin, and uridine diphosphate-d-glucose polyribitol-phosphate glucosyl transferase can be demonstrated in spores. The possible implications of some of these observations are discussed.