Cell walls of three strains of mycobacteria (Mycobacterium phlei, Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium kansasii)

Abstract

The isolation of the cell walls of three mycobacterial strains is described and their chemical compositions have been determined. The cell-wall preparations were purified by treatment with trypsin (EC 3.4.4.4), chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.4.5) and pepsin (EC 3.4.4.1). Digestion with lysozymes (EC 3.2.1.17) from hen's egg-white, duck's egg-white and human milk resulted in the liberation of substances which reacted with reagents specific for amino sugars.