Growth and macromolecular composition of a mutant of Escherichia coli during polyamine limitation.

A mutant of Escherichia coli with reduced levels of biosynthetic arginine decarboxylase was isolated which required putrescine or spermidine for optimal growth. The stimulation of growth by putrescine was 1.5- to 3-fold depending upon the culture medium. Specificity studies supported the concept that the requirement was for spermidine or closely related polyamines, or for diamines which could be converted enzymatically to these compounds. The behavior of the macromolecular composition of the polyamine-starved cells appeared abnormal. The ribonucleic acid to protein and deoxyribonucleic acid to cell ratios in the starved cells were both higher than expected on the basis of their growth rate. The stable ribonucleic acid in the polyamine-limited cells appeared to be normal as judged from size distribution and degree of methylation. The relationship of these results to mechanisms for regulation of nucleic acid and protein synthesis in E. coli is discussed.