Über induzierte Mutationserscheinungen an Milzbrand- und Kartoffelbazillen

Summary

Experiments have been carried out with strains ofBacillus anthracis andBacillus mesentericus which in consequence of a mutation have lost their capsulas.

Non-capsulated living anthrax bacilli mixed with bacteria-free extracts of capsulated mesentericus bacilli may undergo a mutation which results in the appearance of constant strains of capsulated and flagellated bacilli with colony formation peculiar toBacillus mesentericus. Similarly, after treatment of non-capsulated mesentericus bacilli with extracts of capsulated anthrax bacilli it is possible to isolate capsulated mesentericus bacilli.

It is pointed out that in both cases there is the question of the result of an induced mutation caused by the introduction of genes of the one species into the other.