The action of fluorodinitrobenzene on bacterial cell walls

Abstract

Alanine is the principal N-terminal group in the cell walls of M. lysodeikticus, S. lutea and B. megaterium. Most of the ϵ-amino groups of lysine in the cell walls of M. lysodeikticus are available for reaction with FDNB and about one third of the diaminopimelic acid residues of B. megaterium cell walls have one amino group free. Lysozyme digests DNP-cell walls at about the same rate as untreated walls and the digests show the same number of electrophoretic components.