Reconstitution of cell wall synthesis in toluene- and LiCl-treated Bacillus megaterium cells by addition of a soluble protein extract.

Proteins required for the synthesis of peptidoglycan and incorporation of diaminopimelic acid into cell walls have been solubilized from Bacillus megaterium toluene-treated cells. Some of these proteins might have been removed from the cytoplasmic membrane through the cell wall by extraction with LiCl. The solubilized proteins have molecular weights in the range of 40,000 to 70,000 and can be added back to B. megaterium toluene-treated cells to reconstitute the synthetic reactions.