This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Alper, R. E. Articles by Schlenk, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Alper, R. E. Articles by Schlenk, F.

Properties of Yeast Cell Ghosts Obtained by Ribonuclease Action

^a Division of Biological and Medical Research, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois

ABSTRACT

Cell ghosts were obtained from Candida utilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the action of some conformational isomers of pancreatic ribonuclease which passed through the cell wall and penetrated the cell membrane. In the interior, the enzyme caused extensive disorganization of the cellular structure as evidenced by the results of vital staining and electron microscopy. Ribonucleic acid was degraded to fragments that leaked out into the suspending medium. Other cytoplasmic constituents, including the amino acid pool, were released, but most of the cellular protein and deoxyribonucleic acid remained in the ghosts. The lesions in the cytoplasmic membrane were too small to be seen by conventional electron microscopy. The membrane clung to the cell wall even after obliteration of most of the intracellular structure.

¹ Postdoctoral Resident Research Associate.