Table 1.

Incorporation of glycine in the cell wall of B. subtilis 168

Wall composition	Untreated wall	EDAC + glycinamide	Azide + EDAC + glycinamide
Glutamic acid	0.18	0.19	0.16
Alanine	0.52	0.50	0.43
Diaminopimelic acid	0.38	0.58	0.47
Glycine	0.007	0.12	0.06

Suspensions of cells in PBS-glucose (pH 7.3) were activated with EDAC, and 100 mM glycinamide was added. After 30 min the cells were centrifuged, washed two times in water, and broken by sonication. Walls were obtained by differential centrifugation and extracted in boiling 0.1% SDS. The insoluble walls were then extracted several times in hot water and freeze-dried. The walls were then hydrolyzed in acid and subjected to amino acid analysis. Azide concentration was 40 mM. The numbers shown above are in μmol/mg of wall. Glutamic acid, alanine, and diaminopimelic acid are shown for comparison purposes.