The extraction of cell walls of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with aqueous phenol. Material from the phenol layer.

1. A method is described for the fractionation of cell walls of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by using aqueous phenol. 2. With this technique, cell walls are quantitatively separated into five fractions: two water-soluble fractions (AqI and AqII), a residual insoluble fraction (R), and two phenol-soluble fractions (PhMP and PhMS). 3. The compositions of fractions PhMP and PhMS are discussed. Fraction PhMP consists almost entirely of protein, which is soluble in aqueous sodium dodecyl sulphate. Analytical ultracentrifugation of the solution yields a single peak, but several components may be resolved by gel electrophoresis. 4. Fraction PhMS consists principally of phospholipid (approx. 44%) and fatty acids (approx. 27%), although smaller amounts (approx. 13%) of protein are present.