THE NUCLEIC ACID AND AMINO ACIDS OF MURINE LEPROSY BACILLI

Abstract

Murine leprosy bacilli were collected with the Nakamura-Hanks' method from the subcutaneous leproma of rats on the three months after inoculation, and lyophilized.
The authors' studies were examined on the ribonucleic acid and amino acid of bacilli. The findings to be described were as follows :
1) The ribonucleic acid was extracted with the phenol method and fractionated. The r-RNA, represented for the constituent to alternate rapidly, was for the most part and the p-A-RNA (s-RNA ?), persumably taking part to protein synthesis, was for scanty part : thus, the p-A : r value was such a low value as 1: 5. From these findings it may be suggested the murine leprosy bacilli were standing in rather resting phase concerning to the cell growth.
2) The total free amino acids of leprosy bacilli, the source of protein biosynthesis, was such a small quantity as to be less than two times of the total protein-amino acids, and in the former the amino acid such as glycine, arginine, leucine, methionine and cystine were less than in the latter.
The authors' idea from the evidence at hands seems to suggest the slinghtness of the ability of protein biosynthesis of murine leprosy bacilli, namely, it may be called almost impossible of rapid multiplication of murine leprosy bacilli.