On the influence of tissue enzymes on the bacteriophage principle

Abstract

I have previously reported before this Society the isolation of a lytic principle active against typhoid and dysentery bacilli obtained by the d'Hérelle technique from the filtrate of a stool from a typhoid convalescent. The fact that the lytic agent could be transmitted apparently indefinitely in series and that it was only active against vigorously growing bacteria, suggested that the lytic agent might be derived from the bacterial cell itself. My next step was to try to produce a lytic principle from the typhoid bacilli without any interaction with the living animal body.

I proceeded on a theory first suggested by d'Hérelle, but discarded by him, namely, that the so-called phenomenon of d'Hérelle might be due either to an activation of the natural autolysin present in all bacteria, or to the removal of autolysin-inhibiting substance. Once this natural autolysin was liberated, it could in turn liberate an active autolysin from the next generation of bacteria and so on indefinitely.

It seemed possible from the work of Twort and other observers, such as Cantacuzhe and Marie, and from the more recent papers of Turro, that tissue extracts might play a part in starting the activities of the autolysin.

I want to report briefly on some preliminary results I have obtained by the action of tissue extracts on typhoid bacilli. Up to the present time, I have obtained lysis of typhoid bacilli, transmittable in series by the action of extracts of two different tissues, namely: small intestine and liver. Both tissues were derived from guinea pigs. In the case of the small intestine, three small intestines from normal guinea pigs were pooled, washed and minced. Without drying the tissue was divided and extracted in different strengths of glycerine.