BIOCHEMICAL AND CYTOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS DURING THE REVERSING PROCESS FROM SPHEROPLASTS TO ROD-FORM CELLS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

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Abstract
Spheroplasts of Escherichia coli B-054 were formed by penicillin, and the reversing process from spheroplasts to rod-form cells was examined. The amount of DNA, RNA and protein in a single spheroplast increased to four to five times more than that of a rod-form cell during the spheroplast formation. Ultraviolet-absorptive particles (probably nuclei) were localized in several regions within a spheroplast. Morphological changes during the process of spheroplast reversion to rod-form cells were precisely followed. The number of rod-form cells (determined by colony counting according to the time course of reversion) increased very rapidly from the beginning of reversion without a lag phase. From this evidence it was concluded that a single spheroplast germinates into several rod-form cells.