Abstract
Summary
When virulent mycobacteria are mixed with large numbers of viable attenuated mycobacterial cells and injected intravenously into mice the susceptibility to tuberculous infection is markedly increased. By mixing different mycobacterial components, prepared by differential centrifugation of mechanically ruptured attenuated mycobacterial cells, and injecting these into mice, the resistance lowering factor was localized in the intracellular particulate material which sedimented at 144,000 × g. Subfractions, prepared by differential centrifugation, of this particulate fraction, were usually inactive but gained resistance lowering activity when any two were recombined. The particulate fraction is composed of cell membranes, enzymatically active particles and ribosomes.
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