THE CHEMICAL ALTERATION OF A BACTERIAL SURFACE, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE AGGLUTINATION OF B. PROTEUS OX-19.

The chemical substitution of a bacterial surface has been effected by the addition of benzene sulfonyl chloride to B. proteus OX-19. The substitution of imidazole and amino groups on the bacteria has been followed by the microelectrophoretic method. Concomitant changes in the agglutinability of substituted organisms have been observed, without appreciable change in the antibody-combining capacities of the organisms. The significance of these observations has been discussed.