Abstract
Summary
(1) The courses of hemolysis for gramicidin, tyrocidin, and mixtures of the two have been determined. Tyrocidin causes a rapid hemolysis, the extent being proportional to the concentration of the lysin. Gramicidin causes a slower initial rate of hemolysis but this initial lag is followed by rapid destruction of red blood cells at a rate at least equal to the initial rate due to tyrocidin. Mixtures of the two components gave hemolysis patterns characteristic of the proportions of gramicidin and tyrocidin. (2) An alcohol-soluble substance or substances present in the wall of the red blood cell of the rat, possibly phospholipid in nature, combines with tyrocidin, and to a lesser extent with gramicidin, causing them to lose their hemolytic activity.
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