MAGNESIUM AND SULFATE IONS AS DETERMINANTS IN THE GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS

Abstract

Both Mg++ and SO4= are necessary for characteristic growth of M. bovis. Mg++ deficiency permits cell wall synthesis with branching and an increase in chromatin bodies per cell. Volutin is not formed. Small amounts of unmasked lipid appear at the sites of the nuclear staining bodies. SO4= deficiency permits cell wall and protoplasmic synthesis but increase in nuclear bodies is limited although unmasked lipid and volutin formation is plentiful. Certain structures visible by staining techniques are compared with those found by electron microscopy, thus permitting tentative identification of the structures seen in the electron microscope.