Electron microscopic study of the secretion of some bacterial enzymes and toxins

The ultrastructure of Clostridium perfringens BP6K, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus licheniformis 749/C was studied in the process of toxin and enzyme secretion. There were many channels in the cell walls of the bacteria and an amorphous material protruded through these channels forming a “microcapsulae” on the cell surface. The specific antitoxic and antipenicillinase ferroglobulins were connected with the “microcapsulae” only. The cell walls were lysed in some limited parts and sometimes were split into two leaflets. There was excreted material in between the two sheets of the split cell wall or in the periplasmic space. One can assume that “lock-chambering” separates hydrolytic enzymes from cytoplasm and preserves the cell integrity after partial lysis of the cell wall and toxin (enzymes) secretion. One can suppose that the cell wall channels and the “lock-chambers” are the structural basis of the macromolecular compounds secreted during logarithmic growth without bacterial cell lysis and death.