Die Chemie der Tuberkelbazillen-Lipoide. XL. Über das Vorkommen von Sterinen in Tuberkelbazillen.

Abstract

450-600 gm. lots of 5 strains of human tubercle bacilli grown on Long''s synthetic medium were exhaustively extracted with lipoid solvents; the defatted bacteria dissolved in boiling 10% KOH and the solution extracted with ether. Unsaponifiable portions of all lipoid fractions were examined for sterols by digitonin precipitation and the Liebermann-Burchard reaction. Only acetone-soluble fat and wax yielded traces of sterols, 1 part in 624,000 parts dry bacteria from the fat and 1 in 870,000 from the wax; such amts. are probably due to accidental contamination. The tubercle bacillus does not produce sterols.