CHANGES IN VIABILITY, RESPIRATORY ACTIVITY AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE MARINE VIBRIO SP STRAIN S14 DURING STARVATION OF INDIVIDUAL NUTRIENTS AND SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY

Starvation for different individual nutrients revealed various morphot ypes of Vibrio sp. strain S14. Carbon or multiple-nutrient starved cel ls formed ultramicrocells with low respiratory activity and high cultu rability. In contrast, cells starved for nitrogen or phosphorus formed filaments or swollen rods with large inclusion bodies of PHB. These c ells exhibited a 3-4 log decrease in culturability, nevertheless many were actively respiring and direct viable counts equalled at least 80% of the original number of cells. After 2-3 days of prolonged incubati on, microcolonies appeared at approximately the same number of cells a s at the onset of starvation. A nutrient-induced increase in respirato ry activity, after 120 h of starvation, was instantaneous for cells st arved for carbon or multiple-nutrients, but cells depleted of nitrogen or phosphorus exhibited a lag period of at least 3 h.