Advances in MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY This Page Intentionally Left Blank Advances in MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY Edited by A. H. ROSE School of Biological Sciences Bath University, UK and D. W. TEMPEST Department of Microbiology Uniuersity of Shefield, UK Volume 29 1988 ACADEMIC PRESS Harcourt Brace Jovanouich. Publishers London San Diego New York Boston Sydney Tokyo Toronto ACADEMIC PRESS LIMITED 24-28 Oval Road London NWI 7DX U . S . Edirion published by ACADEMIC PRESS INC San Diego 92101 Copyright $3 1988 by ACADEMIC PRESS LIMITED AN Righis Reseroed No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by photostat, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the publishers ISSN 0065-291 1 Printed in Great Britain at the Alden Press, Oxford Contributors M. O’Brian Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. M D 21218, USA G . A. Codd Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee. Dundee DDI 4HN, U K M. J. Danson Department of Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down. Bath BA2 7AY, U K W. Fischer Institut fur Biochemie, Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, Fahrstrasse 17, D-8520 Erlangen, FRG L. S. Frost Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H7 R. J. Maier Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, M D 21218, USA W. Paranchych Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H7 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Contents Contributors V Hydrogen Metabolism in Rhizobium: Energetics, Regulation, Enzymology and Genetics M A R K R. O’BRIAN and ROBERT J. MAIER I. 11. 111. IV . V. VI. Introduction Regulation Enzymology Energetics Genetics Acknowledgements References 2 6 13 24 38 47 47 The Physiology and Biochemistry of Pili WILLIAM PARANCHYCH and LAURA S. FROST I. 11. 111. IV. V. VI . VII . Introduction Nomenclature Classification High-resolution studies on pilus structure Organization and expression of pilin genes Structure-function relationships of pili proteins Acknowledgements References 53 54 55 64 68 82 102 102 Carboxysomes and Ribulose Sisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase G E O F F R E Y A. C O D D I. Introduction XI. Distribution and structure of carboxysomes 115 117 ... CONTENTS Vlll I ll . Carboxysome composition IV. Ribulose I ,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) V. Carboxysome function VI. Further aspects of carboxysomes References 124 i32 149 155 157 Archaebacteria: The Comparative Enzymology of Their Central Metabolic Pathways MICHAEL J. DANSON I. Introduction 11. Archaebacterial pathways of central metabolism 111. Archaebacterial enzyme diversity IV. Structure of archaebacterial enzymes V. Concluding remarks VI. Acknowledgements References 166 176 194 217 222 222 223 Physiology of Lipoteichoic Acids in Bacteria W . FISCHER I. Introduction 11. Occurrence and structure 111. Metabolism IV. V. VI. VII. Cellular location Biological activities Concluding remarks Acknowledgements References Author index Subject index 233 235 247 275 277 295 296 296 303 327 Hydrogen Metabolism in Rhizobium: Energetics. Regulation. Enzymology and Genetics MARK R . O’BRIAN and ROBERT J . MAIER Department of Biology. The Johns Hopkins Uniuersity. Baltimore. M D 21218. USA 1. Introduction . . A . General background I1 . 111. IV . V. VI . . . . . . . . . . . B . Hydrogen evolution by nitrogenase