Isolation of lipopolysaccharides and the effect of polymyxin B on the outer membrane of Corynebacterium autotrophicum.
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Corynebacterium autotrophicum were isolated and analyzed. Autotrophically grown cells contained 2--5 mg of partly purified LPS per g dry weight of lyophilized cells. Serological cross reaction with Lipid A antigen of Salmonella minnesota confirmed the presence of LPS in C. autotrophicum. Electron microscopy of negatively stained Polymyxin B-treated cells showed formation of blebs on the Outer Membrane indicating an interaction of Polymyxin B specifically with LPS. Up to now, no Gram-positive organisms are known which contain any LPS. Thus, C. autotrophicum, though giving opposite results when the Gram-staining reaction was applied by several authors, has to be classified into the group of Gram-negative bacteria.
D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D008050:Lipid A / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D008050:Lipid A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D011112:Polymyxin B