CALDOPENTAMINE AND CALDOHEXAMINE IN CELLS OF THERMOTOGA SPECIES, A POSSIBLE ADAPTATION TO THE GROWTH AT HIGH-TEMPERATURES

Cells of the extremely thermophilic, strictly anaerobic Thermotoga mar itima strain MSB8 (DSM 3109) and of the newly isolated Thermotoga spec . strain ZB (DSM 4138) grown on glucose at 78-degrees-C contained the long-chain polyamines caldopentamine and caldohexamine. Additional uni dentified long-chain polyamines were present in small amounts. After i ncreasing the growth temperature from the lower to the upper limit (50 -85-degrees-C), the proportions of long-chain polyamines present in ce lls of Thermotoga spec. strain ZB increased both in total amounts, as well as in increasing chain-length, suggesting a significant role in a daptation to thermophilic growth.