Theodore Sall

Factors conditioning the Accumulation and Disappearance of Metaphosphate in Cells of Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Abstract The deposition of metaphosphate in the form of metachromatic granules in resting cells of Corynebacterium diphtheriae occurred in the presence of various oxidizable tricarboxylic acid cycle compounds. The addition of K + and orthophosphate greatly enhanced this deposition. Glucose, either alone or with K + and orthophosphate did not lead to the formation of these metachromatic granules. Metachromatic cells in the presence of glucose, citrate, and formate, as well as in the endogenous control, eventually lost their metachromasy after 16 hr. incubation in the absence of external P. In the presence of fumarate and malate there occurred a constant increase in metachromasy; after 16 hr. the index of metachromasy was doubled. Distribution studies of the phosphorus components of the metachromatic cells, before and after incubation in glucose and malate, indicate that in the presence of glucose, RNA P increased at the expense of the metaphosphate. In the presence of sodium malate, metaphosphate increased at the expense of the RNA P.

Partial Protection of Mice by Human Gamma-Globulin Against Staphylococcus aureus on Subcutaneous Sutures.

Summary The technic of subcutaneous implantation of sutures infected with Staphylococcus aureus was used to assay protection of mice by pooled human gamma globulin. The mice which received 1 ml each of gamma globulin in divided doses showed 30 to 35% fewer purulent skin lesions than controls. The infected sutures, however, were not freed of viable staphylococci. This model system is regarded as being sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its continued use in experiments toward elucidation of critical factors in pathogenesis and protection.