Cell-Wall Deficiencies in L-forms of Staphylococcus aureus

SUMMARY: Three strains of penicillin-induced and one strain of D-cycloserine-induced L-forms of Staphylococcus aureus were investigated for components of the normal bacterial cell wall. None of the 4 strains was found to contain more than 0.008% of its dry weight as muramic acid, indicating the lack of mucopeptide. These forms also lacked the cell-wall ribitol teichoic acid as shown by the failure to yield any material containing ribitol. Neither muramic acid nor ribitol was detected as acid-soluble nucleotides in the L-forms, and teichoic acid was not released into the supernatant medium. Serological evidence for polysaccharide A was not found, but there was serological identity between extracts of membranes obtained from staphylococci and extracts of membranes isolated from the L-forms.