Refractive index of uranyl-treated bacterial cytoplasm as related to ribonucleic-acid content and growth rate.
After fixation and treatment with uranyl acetate solutions, the refractive index (n D) of the cytoplasm ofCorynebacterium bovis varies with substrate-dependent growth rate and RNA content. The effect, which presumably is due to quantitative binding of uranyl ions by RNA, permits a measurement of the growth rate of single cells in a single-species system by interference microscopy. Temperature-induced changes in growth rate are not reflected in changes ofn D or RNA content.
Division of Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York.
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