Characterization of L-forms through associated cell wall fragments.

new concept in medical bacteriology was opened for investigation in 1935 when Kleinberger reported she had successfully separated a cell wall deficient variant from a normal culture of Streptobacillus moniliformis (Kleinberger, 1935). Kleinberger denoted the new bacillus type an "L-form" in honor of the Lister Institute. L-forms were first induced from gram negative rods (Kleinberger, 1935), but since then have been induced from gram positive rods and cocci as well as gram negative cocci (Hymans, 1969).