The Susceptibility of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria, L‐phase Variants, Candida, Protozoa and Viruses to Lysolecithin

The L‐phase variants of three bacteria were at least 100‐fold more susceptible to lysolecithin than their corresponding parents. Other bacteria, a yeast and protozoa were relatively resistant to lysolecithin although some bacteria, notably anaerobes, were particularly sensitive. It seems that some of the differences in sensitivity to lysolecithin may be accounted for, in part, by differences in the cholesterol content of the cell membranes and walls. Preliminary observations indicate that the infectivity of lipid‐containing viruses, i.e. influenza B virus and Herpesvirus hominis type 1, but not of non‐lipid‐containing viruses, i.e. an adenovirus and a rhinovirus, was diminished by lysolecithin treatment. The possibility that lysolecithin production might interfere with the isolation of L‐phase variants is discussed. Also considered is the possibility that the differential sensitivity of mycoplasmas and stable L‐phase variants to lysolecithin might provide a means of distinguishing between them.