Effects of penicillin and glycine on cell wall glycopeptides of the two varieties of Vibrio fetus.

Actively growing strains of Vibrio fetus venerealis and V. fetus intestinalis, none of which produced penicillinase, were treated with inhibitory levels of penicillin or glycine, primarily to gain insight into the differential sensitivities of the two varieties to both of these compounds. Treatments induced the accumulation of uridine nucleotide glycopeptide precursors which contained amino sugars and amino acids in various molar ratios. Penicillin-induced nucleotides all contained muramic acid and sometimes glucosamine; they generally contained alanine, glutamic acid, diaminopimelic acid, and glycine. Approximately equimolar ratios of these components were observed in some compounds, but ratios varied considerably in others. Glycine-induced nucleotides contained muramic acid and, in some instances, glucosamine. Amino acids were detected only infrequently and usually in low molar ratios. The data suggest that penicillinase production, differences in the chemical composition of glycopeptide, and variations in modes of action of penicillin and glycine cannot individually account for the differential sensitivities of venereal and intestinal strains of V. fetus to these substances.