tion of endotoxin and surfactants. I. Physical and biological properties of endotoxin treated with sodium desoxycholate. J. Bacteriol. 92:1493-1509. 1966.-Endotoxins from three species of gram-negative bacteria were shown to be dissociated by the bile salt sodium deoxycholate (NaD) into nontoxic subunits with molecular weights of about 20,000. When the bile salt was removed by dialysis, the subunits reaggregated in an orderly manner to form a relatively uniform population of biologically active endotoxin particles with average molecular weights of 500,000 to 1,000,000. If a small amount of human plasma was added to the dissociated endotoxin before removal of the NaD, reassociation apparently did not occur and the preparation remained nonpyrogenic. However, the plasma protein could subsequently be removed from the endotoxin subunits, and reaggregation to the toxic form would then occur. The studies on the physical nature of endotoxin performed with biophysical solution techniques were supplemented and confirmed by direct examination of the endotoxin polymers by electron microscopy. The results of these studies were consonant with the theory that the biologically active endotoxic elements are composed of micellar aggregates of linear lipopolysaccharide subunits.

Endotoxins of low lipid content prepared from S. enteritidis by the aqueous ether method have been further treated to remove bound lipid by non-hydrolytic procedures. Such endotoxins, containing as little as 2 per cent lipid A, were as potent in stimulating a variety of physiological responses as those prepared by the well known phenol-water or Boivin procedures which yield products containing as much as 30 per cent lipid A. To verify the difference in lipid content between the aqueous ether preparations and other types of endotoxins, three different methods of lipid analysis were employed: determination of chloroform-soluble material released by hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid (lipid A) or with acetic acid (lipid W), and estimation of total bound fatty acids. These methods were in accord in showing the magnitude of the difference. No more than one-half of the fatty acids present in endotoxin were associated with the fraction designated lipid A. Methods are described for the preparation of potent endotoxins with analytical values for nitrogen, phosphorus, hexosamine, carbohydrate, and fatty acid which do not differ appreciably from those of the classical, non-toxic, haptenic polysaccharides.

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