Survival and reversion of a stable L form in soil

Abstract

The stable L form of Agromyces ramosus reverted to a bacterial form when incubated in sterilized soil. The cellular and colonial morphology of this bacterial form resembled that of the original parent bacterial form. The two forms differed, however, in that the revertant maintained its bacterial form when transferred onto a low-salt (NaCl) medium but was virtually completely induced into the L-form state on a high-salt medium. The original parent bacterial form was not sensitive to salt. The possibility is discussed that an L-form interchanging with a bacterial-form cycle for this bacterium might occur naturally in soil. This cycle would be mediated by fluctuations in local salt concentrations in the soil.