L Forms of Bacteria and their Role in the Origin of Penicillin Resistance

Abstract

INVESTIGATION of the penicillin resistance of the secondary rods regenerated within the complete or incomplete L-cycle is of a great importance for understanding the biological significance of L forms of bacteria. So far, only a few authors have occupied themselves with this problem^1–5. There is one group of authors who maintain that the secondary rods are more resistant to penicillin than the primary ones⁵; on the other hand, there are far more workers who are of the exactly opposite opinion^1–3. In 1954, we carried out preliminary experiments with Proteus vulgaris ⁶. It appeared that the secondary rods do not differ essentially from the primary ones with regard to penicillin resistance. These results were confirmed by the following experiments: (1) determination of resistance of the secondary rods regenerated from one large body; (2) determination of the amount of penicillin in broth culture in the time of regeneration of the bacillary form.