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Affinity of Lysozyme to Structural Elements of the Bacterial Cell as studied with Enzyme Labelled with Radioactive Iodine

Nature volume 184, pages 1744–1745 (1959)Cite this article

Abstract

WHEN cells of Bacillus megaterium are suspended in a dilute phosphate buffer and lysozyme is added to this suspension, the cell walls are completely dissolved. After the removal of the protective walls, the structural integrity of the protoplasmic part of the bacteria is rapidly destroyed, mainly because of osmotic effects1,2. Two structural elements are observed in the bacterial suspension after completed lysis: membraneous ‘ghosts’, probably mainly representing cytoplasmic membranes, and granular material. Relatively few granules are found, however, in cells of the B. megaterium strain used in the present work3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Bacteriological Laboratory of Stockholm City, Stockholm

    C. WEIBULL, B. ZACHARIAS & H. BECKMAN

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  1. C. WEIBULL
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  2. B. ZACHARIAS
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  3. H. BECKMAN
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WEIBULL, C., ZACHARIAS, B. & BECKMAN, H. Affinity of Lysozyme to Structural Elements of the Bacterial Cell as studied with Enzyme Labelled with Radioactive Iodine. Nature 184, 1744–1745 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1841744a0

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