The isolation of components from the cell wall of Lactobacillus casei

Abstract

The cell wall of a strain of Lactobacillus casei prepared by mechanical disintegration of cells was analyzed for component carbohydrates and major amino acids; these are galactose, glucose, rhamnose, glucosamine, galactosamine, muramic acid, lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine. Rhamnose (the major component of the wall) provided evidence for an autolytic enzyme system. The soluble extract from autolyzed cells was fractionated, ethanol precipitation yielding a product that is very similar in composition to the intact wall. The wall contains at least two polysaccharide components. Serological studies support the conclusions based on chemical analyses. Rhamnose, galactose and glucose contribute to the serological specificity.