The Destruction of Acid-Fastness of the Tubercle Bacillus by an Autolytic Process

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Abstract
Jobling and Petersen (1914) showed the lipoid content of bacteria to be functional in the resistance of the bacteria to tryptic digestion. McJunkin (1923) found that living tubercle bacilli dehydrated in 95% alcohol for 2 min. when suspended in oleic acid containing a few drops of water and incubated at 37 [degree]C lost their acid-fast properties. Steenken (1938) demonstrated the presence of lysis in cultures of tubercle bacilli. The studies of Wells and Long (1932) indicated that the tubercle bacillus has but weak autolytic powers. In the present study, it was found that living tubercle bacilli treated with alcohol and ether, and subsequently placed in water, underwent autolysis. The autolytic factor was destroyed when the organisms were submitted to atemp.of 90[degree]C; autolysis was greatly reduced at 10[degree]C and max. autolysis occurred at 37[degree]C. The autolytic factor was also markedly affected by the pH of the soln. It was inhibited in solns. of water buffered at pH 3 and 8.8 and was most active at pH 52 and 7. The autolytic process was completely inhibited when weak solns. of iodine and formaldehyde were added to the water in which the bacilli were suspended. The response of this autolytic agent to different temps., its inactivation at high temps., its response to variations in pH, and to weak solns. of iodine and formaldehyde, conforms to that of certain well-recognized enzymes. The relatively rapid loss of acid-fastness and destruction of the morphology of the tubercle bacillus suggests that the autolytic agent or enzyme is endowed with considerable activity.

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