Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1974 Sep;119(3):672–676. doi: 10.1128/jb.119.3.672-676.1974

Autolysis in Staphylococcus aureus: Preferential Release of Old Cell Walls

R W Gilpin 1, S Narrod 1, W Wong 1, F E Young 1, A N Chatterjee 1
PMCID: PMC245667  PMID: 4850704

Abstract

The kinetics of release of old versus new cell wall in two strains of Staphylococcus aureus were studied during autolysis. In both strains the autolytic enzyme is an amidase. Cells were double labeled with 3H and 14C, and the distribution of radioactivity in the cell walls was monitored during autolysis. In all cases the rate of release of steady-state lable from peptidoglycan was significantly higher than that of pulse label. Identical results were obtained with whole cells or isolated cell walls. The results suggest that in S. aureus the old cell wall is preferentially released during autolysis.

Full text

PDF
672

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Chatterjee A. N., Mirelman D., Singer H. J., Park J. T. Properties of a novel pleiotropic bacteriophage-resistant mutant of Staphylococcus aureus H. J Bacteriol. 1969 Nov;100(2):846–853. doi: 10.1128/jb.100.2.846-853.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chatterjee A. N. Use of bacteriophage-resistant mutants to study the nature of the bacteriophage receptor site of Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1969 May;98(2):519–527. doi: 10.1128/jb.98.2.519-527.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ghuysen J. M. Use of bacteriolytic enzymes in determination of wall structure and their role in cell metabolism. Bacteriol Rev. 1968 Dec;32(4 Pt 2):425–464. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gilpin R. W., Chatterjee A. N., Young F. E. Autolysis of microbial cells: salt activation of autolytic enzymes in a mutant of Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jul;111(1):272–283. doi: 10.1128/jb.111.1.272-283.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hebeler B. H., Chatterjee A. N., Young F. E. Regulation of the bacterial cell wall: effect of antibiotics on lipid biosynthesis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1973 Sep;4(3):346–353. doi: 10.1128/aac.4.3.346. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Higgins M. L., Coyette J., Shockman G. D. Sites of cellular autolysis in Lactobacillus acidophilus. J Bacteriol. 1973 Dec;116(3):1375–1382. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.3.1375-1382.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Higgins M. L., Shockman G. D. Procaryotic cell division with respect to wall and membranes. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol. 1971 May;1(1):29–72. doi: 10.3109/10408417109104477. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. PARK J. T., HANCOCK R. A fractionation procedure for studies of the synthesis of cell-wall mucopeptide and of other polymers in cells of Staphylococcus aureus. J Gen Microbiol. 1960 Feb;22:249–258. doi: 10.1099/00221287-22-1-249. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. PATTERSON M. S., GREENE R. C. MEASUREMENT OF LOW ENERGY BETA-EMITTERS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION BY LIQUID SCINTILLATION COUNTING OF EMULSIONS. Anal Chem. 1965 Jun;37:854–857. doi: 10.1021/ac60226a017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Rogers H. J. Bacterial growth and the cell envelope. Bacteriol Rev. 1970 Jun;34(2):194–214. doi: 10.1128/br.34.2.194-214.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Shockman G. D., Martin J. T. Autolytic enzyme system of Streptococcus faecalis. IV. Electron microscopic observations of autolysin and lysozyme action. J Bacteriol. 1968 Nov;96(5):1803–1810. doi: 10.1128/jb.96.5.1803-1810.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Shockman G. D., Pooley H. M., Thompson J. S. Autolytic enzyme system of Streptococcus faecalis. 3. Localization of the autolysin at the sites of cell wall synthesis. J Bacteriol. 1967 Nov;94(5):1525–1530. doi: 10.1128/jb.94.5.1525-1530.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Singer H. J., Wise E. M., Jr, Park J. T. Properties and purification of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase from Staphylococcus aureus H. J Bacteriol. 1972 Nov;112(2):932–939. doi: 10.1128/jb.112.2.932-939.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES