Abspaltung chemischer Komponenten der Coli-Membran durch daran adsorbierte Phage

Abstract

Evidence is brought forth that certain bacteriophages (T2, T4) carry a specific enzyme at their tailtips. It splits chemically defined material off the host cell membrane to which the virus is adsorbed. The splitting reaction can be followed directly and quantitatively by using membranes as a „substrate“ which have been treated with dinitro-fluorobenzene. Dinitrophenyl-residues attached to amino- and other groups of the membrane do not inhibit adsorption and splitting, and splitting-products can be measured colorimetrically on account of their yellow color which also facilitates their isolation. By these means the enzyme action which might be a prerequisite to infection, has been studied to some extent.