Some Unique Properties of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Bearing Portion of the Bacterial Membrane

Abstract
By using the M-band technique we have shown that portions of the membranes of Bacillus megaterium and Escherichia coli vary in their affinity for magnesium-Sarkosyl crystals and in phospholipid composition. The portion to which deoxyribonucleic acid is attached comprises as little as 4% of the total cell membrane, has a particularly high degree of affinity for magnesium-Sarkosyl crystals, and is rich in phosphatidylethanolamine. The M-band fractionation does not depend on the use of lysozyme.