A STUDY OF THE LOCATION OF ADSORBED MERCURIC IONS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

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Abstract
Studies with the electron microscope and electrophoretic measurements of normal cells of E. coli and cells treated with dilute mercuric chloride indicate that the mercuric ions combine with the cytoplasmic portion and do not deposit on the outer surface of the cell. Cells first saturated with mercuric ions and then treated with hydrogen sulfide showed the presence of intracellular crystals identified by X-ray diffraction analysis as HgS. Results suggest that the site of cation adsorption is the cytoplasmic membrane of the cell.