Synthesis of protein and ribonucleic acid in a psychrophile at normal and restrictive growth temperatures.

A defined medium was capable of supporting the growth of a psychrophilic coccus over its growth temperature range, -4 to 25 C. A rapid loss of viability occurred when exponential cells were transferred to growth-restricting temperatures above 25 C. Comparative studies of the chemistry of exponential-phase cells and cells exposed to supermaximum temperature indicated that this loss of viability is not due to temperature-induced membrane damage, inhibition of respiration or energy metabolism, or depletion of intracellular reserves. Moribund and dead cell populations showed an elevated level of intracellular adenosine-5'-triphosphate and amino acids-a finding reflected in the reduced rate of amino acid synthesis during the recovery of heat-shocked cells-and also leakage of degraded ribonucleic acid products into the medium. Incorporation studies indicated that loss of viability at 30 C was correlated with inhibition of protein synthesis, followed later by inhibition of ribonucleic acid synthesis. Deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis was unaffected by temperature above the maximum.