CONTRIBUTION ON THE BEHAVIOR AND STRUCTURE OF THE CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE OF BACTERIA

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Abstract
The relations previously found to exist between the bactericidal activity of substances and their affinity for wool have been used as the basis for a further study of the similarity between Gram-negative bacteria and intact wool on the one hand, and between Gram-positive bacteria and degraded wool on the other. A porrespondence in behavior has been shown to exist in the case of Gram-staining, of the Eisenberg–Gutstein techniques, and of the Feulgen reaction. It was possible to produce with degraded wool a conversion from a Gram-positive state to a Gram-negative one (corresponding to that of intact wool) just as it is possible to carry out the similar conversion with Gram-positive bacteria by using oxidizing and/or acidic agents. Reconversion to the original Gram-positive state was also shown to be possible with reducing and/or alkaline agents. A mechanism is offered to explain the above findings and the respective cytochemical reactions characteristic of the cytoplasmic membrane of the bacteria. This mechanism is based on similarities in composition and structure (α-keratin) between the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-positive bacteria and degraded wool, and the “cytoplasmic membrane” of Gram-negative bacteria and intact wool. Further possible similarities are pointed out. A new definition for bactericidal action is given in the light of these results. A direction for future work is indicated and discussed.
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