[Bacterial cytostimulation by specific antibodies (author's transl)]

Antibodies bound to the surface of Escherichia coli cells stimulate the rate of growth of these bacteria in proportion to their quantity. This "cytostimulation" of the bacteria is confirmed by (1) the increase in optical density, (2) colony counts and (3) increase in the beta-galactosidase activity of a constitutive strain. This action can be amplified by overlaying the antibodies bound to the bacteria, with anti-antibodies. The cytostimulation is accompanied by an increase of the ratio in phosphatidylglycerol to diphosphatidyl-glycerol in the bacteria.