THE DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO OF PARTICLES FROM CYTOPLASM

Abstract

Spherical particles, 1-10 [mu] in diameter, resulted from the incubation at 370Cof distilled water lysates of erthrocytes with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The particles consisted of 88% hemoglobin and 12% DNA (dry weight basis). The particle forming reaction was presumably enzymic and required a minimum of 6 hours incubation for the development of maximum numbers of particles. Particle size was a function of pH in the range 4.8-5.8. Extraneous proteins and polysaccharides could be trapped in pockets within the hemoglobin particles during their development to the exclusion of some of the hemoglobin. The amount of extraneous substance trapped was proportional to its concentration in the reaction mixture. Enzymes, antigens, and antibiotics may be made particulate in this way and thus manipulated in ways not previously possible.