Regulation of exoprotease production by temperature and oxygen in Vibrio alginolyticus.

The production of an extracellular collagenase and alkaline protease by Vibrio alginolyticus during stationary phase was inhibited by a temperature shift from 30 to 37 degrees C and by a lack of oxygen. The stability of the exoproteases was unaffected by incubation at 37 degrees C and aeration. The optimum growth temperature for the V. alginolyticus strain was 33.5 degrees C and there was no difference in the growth rate at 30 and 37 degrees C. Aeration enhanced the rate of growth of exponential phase cells. Temperature and oxygen did not affect the growth of stationary phase cells when the exoproteases were being produced. Macromolecular synthesis in stationary phase cells was not affected by temperature. There was no rapid release of the exoproteases after temperature shift down and chloramphenicol inhibited the production of the enzymes when added at time of temperature shift down from 37 to 30 degrees C. The regulation of exoprotease production by temperature and oxygen was specific and has implications regarding the ecology of V. alginolyticus. Cerulenin, quinacrine and O-phenanthroline inhibited the production of the exoproteases.