FACTORS WHICH MODIFY THE EFFECT OF SODIUM AND POTASSIUM ON BACTERIAL CELL MEMBRANES

Abstract
Henneman, DorothyH. (Rutgers, The State University, New Brunswick, N.J.),and W. W. Umbreit. Factors which modify the effect of sodium and potassium on bacterial cell membranes. J. Bacteriol.87:1266–1273. 1964.—Suspensions ofEscherichia coliB, when placed in 0.2 to 0.5msolutions of NaCl, KCl, or LiCl, show an increased turbidity. With NaCl, this increased turbidity is stable with time; with KCl and LiCl, it is gradually lost. The stability to NaCl with time is due to substances removable from the cell by incubation in phosphate buffer; these materials exist in water washings from such phosphate-incubated cells.