Normal Serum Cytotoxicity for P 32 -Labeled Smooth Enterobacteriaceae II. Fate of Macromolecular and Lipid Phosphorus of Damaged Cells

Abstract

Spitznagel, John K. (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill). Normal serum cytotoxicity for P 32 -labeled smooth Enterobacteriaceae . II. Fate of macromolecular and lipid phosphorus of damaged cells. J. Bacteriol. 91: 148–152. 1966.—Fresh, normal adult guinea pig serum released micro- and macromolecular forms of metabolically incorporated P 32 from smooth Escherichia coli . A significant amount of P 32 -labeled phospholipid was also released. The overall acid solubility distribution of the P 32 label in bacterial suspensions was very little affected in fresh serum, although P 32 -labeled cytoplasmic contents and cell walls of E. coli lost some P 32 when they were suspended in fresh or heat-inactivated normal serum. These findings confirmed and extended earlier evidence that the peripheral wall and membrane structures of smooth E. coli are extensively damaged by factors in fresh normal serum.