Isolation and characterization of glycocalyx in Streptomyces aureofaciens.

The surface layer, considered to be glycocalyx according to electron-microscopic observations, was separated from a low-production strain of Streptomyces aureofaciens by solubilization with urea and subsequent sonication. The isolation procedure was developed using various agents; neutral phosphatase served as a marker indicating the amount of the material released. The peripheral structure consisted predominantly of glycoprotein and differed from S-layers.