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. 1978 Mar;13(3):514–526. doi: 10.1128/aac.13.3.514

Effect of benzylpenicillin on the synthesis and structure of the cell envelope of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

E W Goodell, M Fazio, A Tomasz
PMCID: PMC352274  PMID: 122527

Abstract

The effect of benzylpenicillin on the synthesis and morphology of the cell envelope of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was examined. Penicillin immediately stopped murein synthesis; it also enhanced the rate of turnover of glucosamine, but not diaminopimelic acid, in the murein. In addition, penicillin greatly increased the shedding of lipid and lipopolysaccharide into the medium. In the electron microscope, protrusions of the cell membrane were evident, as well as apparent holes in the murein cell wall. All of these changes occurred while active synthesis was taking place, before the lysis of the cells. Lysis could be prevented by growing the cells at low pH and high concentrations of Mg2+; however, the effects of penicillin on murein synthesis and turnover and on the release of lipid were not affected.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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