Hexagonal pattern in cell walls of Escherichia coli B.

Cell walls, isolated from Escherichia coli B, as examined by electron microscopy and optical diffraction contain a hexagonal lattice structure, the (1,0) planes of which are separated by 140 +/- 8 angstroms. Unless the walls are briefly heated (10 minutes, 90 degrees C) early in the isolation, the hexagonal array cannot always be observed. Enzymatic digestion with pancreatin and amylase improves visualization of the lattice; subsequent treatment with pepsin and sodium dodecylsulfate removes the hexagonal pattern. Protein or lipoprotein globular units within the wall may thus be arranged in a hexagonal array uponthe mucopeptide layer.