Effect of environmental haemin upon the physiology and biochemistry of Prevotella intermedia R78

The effect of environmental haemin on the physiology and biochemistry of Pr evotella intermedia R78 grown in batch culture was assessed. Extent and rat e of growth increased as the environmental haemin concentration was raised. In addition, cell morphology was predominantly cocco-bacillary when cultur ed in high haemin environments, while bacillary forms were prevalent in low haemin conditions (< 2.5 mu mol l(-1)). Cells harvested from low haemin en vironments produced greater numbers of extracellular vesicles and greater a mounts of peptidolytic activity, haemagglutinating potential and haemin bin ding activity when compared with cells harvested from high haemin condition s. The results of the present study indicate that aspects of the biochemist ry and physiology of P. intermedia are influenced by changes in environment al haemin levels.