The purpose of this study was to elucidate some of the physiological characteristics of V. stercoraria with regard to oxygen requirements, growth, nutritional requirements, pH effects on growth and growth factors.

The peptidoglycan layer of Vitreoscilla stercoraria, ATCC 15218, was isolated from intact cells after treatment with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and digestion with Pronase. Amino acid and amino sugar content was analyzed and 67% of the total present was made up of glutamic acid, alanine, diaminopimelic acid (DAP), and glucosamine in a molar ratio of 1:1.7:1:0.7. Electron microscopy of the final peptidoglycan product showed a thin, delicately folded sacculus which exhibited a morphology different from that of the intact vegetative cells. Within these sacculi occurred electron-dense structures which were assayed and found to be poly- 3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) granules. The final yield of peptidoglycan was 2.9% of the dry weight of the intact vegetative cell.