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MYCOBACTERIAL CELL WALLS II.

Chemical Composition of the "Basal Layer"

Department of Bacteriology, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

ABSTRACT

TAKEYA, KENJI (Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan), KAZUHITO HISATSUNE, AND YASUKO INOUE. Mycobacterial cell walls. II. Chemical composition of the "basal layer." J. Bacteriol. 85:24–30. 1963.—Chemical composition of the "basal layer" of the mycobacterial cell wall was determined. The layer contained 35% amino acids, 41.5% reducing sugars (mainly composed of arabinose and galactose), 13.8% amino sugars (glucosamine and muramic acid, 2:1), and 7.7% lipid. The main amino acids were alanine, glutamic acid, and diaminopimelic acid. Their molar ratio was approximately 2:2:1. The main difference in chemical composition between the cell wall and the basal layer was found in lipid content. According to the chemical composition, the basal layer resembles the walls of gram-positive bacteria, while the mycobacterial cell wall resembles the walls of gram-negative bacteria. The basal layer was thoroughly disintegrated by lysozyme digestion, and was considered to be an inner layer of the wall, conferring shape and rigidity on the mycobacterial cell wall.