The Location of Cell-bound Penicillinase in Bacillus subtilis

SUMMARY: Before penicillinase is released from a penicillin-induced culture of Bacillus subtilis it accumulates and up to 85% is found to be bound to the cells. This cell-bound penicillinase is not free in the cytoplasm since it cannot be released in a soluble state simply by rupture of the cell envelope. It appears to be attached to the cell in a fairly superficial location since up to 40 % is accessible to antiserum and up to 98 % can be released, by trypsin in the presence of hypertonic sucrose, from apparently intact cells.