Enzyme formation in non-viable cells.

An attempt has been made to find conditions which would completely dissociate viability from capacity to synthesize enzymes in yeast cells. The only lethal agent or condition found which yielded complete dissociation was x-irradiation. Dosages leading to 99.9 per cent lethality and greater exhibited no inhibitory action on the capacity of the treated suspensions to synthesize maltozymase and galactozymase. Such suspensions also retained their ability to assimilate externally supplied nitrogen and employ it in the synthesis of enzyme.