FORMATION OF "PROTOPLASTS" OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS WITH A FUNGAL N-ACETYLHEXOSAMINIDASE.

Hash, John H. (Lederle Laboratories, Pearl River, N.Y.), Marcia Wishnick, and Philip A. Miller. Formation of "protoplasts" of Staphylococcus aureus with a fungal N-acetylhexosaminidase. J. Bacteriol. 87:432-437. 1964.-"Protoplasts" of Staphylococcus aureus were obtained when cells were treated with a fungal N-acetyl-hexosaminidase in hypertonic sucrose solution. The "protoplasts" were sensitive to osmotic shock, and were free of amino sugars and rigid cell walls. They were unable to regenerate cell walls and form colonies. They may be true protoplasts. Osmotic barriers in the "protoplasts" were preserved, and the "protoplasts" incorporated C(14)-l-alanine at about 60% of the rate of intact cells.