Osmotic pressure in Escherichia coli as rendered detectable by lysozyme attack.

The enhanced susceptibility of plasmolyzed Escherichia coli to lysozyme attack was used to estimate the internal osmotic pressure of these cells under various conditions. Differences were detected between strains, culture media, stages in the growth cycle, and the osmotically active material used to produce plasmolysis. Lysozyme also was found to attack unplasmolyzed cells at 0 C and between 50 and 70 C.