Abstract
Summary
1. Addition of dl-tryptophane or indol to media induces a rough to smooth dissociation in colony morphology of some strains of oral lactobacilli. 2. This dissociation is readily reversible, is apparently not a selection, and is unaccompanied by gross changes in physiology. 3. Chemical analysis of salivas for tryptophane and indol indicates the association of greater amounts of such compounds with the caries-immune group. 4. Tryptophane-induced rough to smooth variation in lactobacilli is different from the similar dissociation which occurs in saliva of caries-immune individuals.
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