The disintegration of micro-organisms by shaking with glass beads

✍ Scribed by Rodgers, A. ;Hughes, D. E.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1960
• Weight: 1001 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0368-1467
• DOI: 10.1002/jbmte.390020106

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A new vibrator, commercially available as the Sonomec Wave‐Pulse Generator, is described, in which micro‐organisms may be disrupted by shaking with glass beads. The amplitude and frequency of vibration of the shaker may be varied independently by suitable linkages incorporated in the mechanism. A study has been made of the effect of several variables, particularly the height of the liquid column in the vibrating container, on the rate of disruption. A relation is shown to exist between the acoustic heating produced in the container by the passage of sound waves through the liquid and the rate of disruption of baker's yeast. It is considered that at most depths of the liquid column, the action is similar to that of other shakers, but at a certain depth of liquid, additional forces arise which greatly increase the rapidity of disruption. How these forces act is not known. Factors affecting the rate of disruption of baker's yeast, Corynebacterium xerosis and Bacillus megatherium have been studied and a comparison has been made of the fractions obtained by differential centrifugation of the cell dispersion and compared with similar preparations from the Hughes press.