Incorporation of radioactive macromolecular precursors into intact cells and osmotically stabilized "protoplasts" of Streptococcus faecalis.

Growing "protoplasts" of Streptococcus faecalis were shown to incorporate newly administered radioactive precursors in the same manner as growing intact streptococci. No observable differences could be found between the size of the leucine precursor pools of the two cultures. The extent of turnover of protein and ribonucleic acid in both "protoplast" and streptococcal cultures appeared to be identical. Finally, the absolute rate of macromolecular biosynthesis was found to be equivalent whether determined on the basis of "new" or "old" label incorporation.