Abstract
Summary
1. Bactericidal agents like phenol, cationic and anionic detergents damage and denature the cytoplasmic membrane and the cytoplasm. Their direct action can be visually demonstrated on a lysozyme-sensitive Bacillus by observing the different stages in the spherical transformation of the protoplasts which occur parallel with the lyso-zyme digestion of the cell-wall. 2. Antibacterial agents like mercury compounds do not visibly affect the bacterial protoplast. 3. The protoplasts of killed cells are not able to undergo a spherical transformation.
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