Synthesis of glycerophosphorylated cyclic (1,2)-beta-glucans in Rhizobium meliloti strain 1021 after osmotic shock.

The transfer of phosphoglycerol moieties from phosphatidylglycerol to the cyclic (1,2)-beta-glucans in growing cultures of Rhizobium meliloti strain 1021 was investigated using pulse-chase experiments with [3H]glycerol and/or [14C]glucose. No transfer occurred when cells were grown and pulse-chased in a medium containing 0.4 M NaCl. However, radiolabelled glycerophosphorylated cyclic (1,2)-beta-glucans could be detected within 30 min after transfer of these cultures to a low-osmolarity medium. Conversely, when low-osmolarity cultures were shifted to a high-osmolarity medium containing 0.4 M NaCl or 0.8 M sucrose, the transfer of phosphoglycerol substituents to the cyclic (1,2)-beta-glucans was inhibited. Further experiments revealed that the transfer of phosphoglycerol substituents to the cyclic (1,2)-beta-glucans occurs within the periplasmic compartment.