A DEMONSTRATION OF THE DISPOSITION OF THE CELL WALL OF BACILLUS CEREUS

Abstract

Photomicrographs of a Giemsa-stained and hydrolyzed preparation of B. cereus are presented. The cells were crushed with coverslip forceps after fixation in a methanol-formaldehyde-picric acid mixture. The prepn. showed empty cell walls with transverse fractures, nearly at right angles to the long axis, but no longitudinal fractures. Cytoskeletons hanging from the coverslip showed a round, optical cross-section. The transverse septa were clearly demonstrated. In some cases the naked protoplast protruded from the fractured end of a cell and showed that the cell wall, although faintly stained, could not be distinguished from the surface of the protoplast unless they were separated.