Cytochrome pigments in Mycobacterium leprae isolated from armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus L.).

The bacilli were isolated from granulomata harvested from armadillos. Cytochrome systems in whole cell suspensions as well as in cell-free extracts were examined spectrophotometrically. The intact cells contained cytochromes of the a+b3, b and c type which were found to be present mainly in the reduced form. The cytochrome systems in cell-free extracts of M. leprae were in the oxidized form but contained the same type of cytochromes as the intact bacteria. The presence of cytochromes was easily detectable in the anaerobically-reduced (no substrate added) as well as in the dithionite- or succinate-reduced minus O2-oxidized difference spectra. The dithionite-reduced plus CO minus reduced difference spectra exhibited cytochromes a3 and o monoxide binding pigments.