Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1973 Oct;116(1):25–32. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.1.25-32.1973

Isolation and Characterization of Two Protease-Producing Mutants from Staphylococcus aureus

Ann-Christine Rydén 1, Martin Lindberg 1, Lennart Philipson 1
PMCID: PMC246386  PMID: 4355482

Abstract

Two mutants with increased protease production were isolated after nitrosoguanidine treatment of Staphylococcus aureus 8325N. The wild type produces low amounts of extracellular proteolytic activity. The enzyme was inducible and could only be detected if casein or preferably skim milk powder was used as inducer. The optimal pH, salt concentration, and media for enzyme production were determined. The mutants differed from the wild type in several phenotypic characters. The pattern of extracellular deoxyribonuclease and alkaline phosphatase differed between the mutants and the wild type. Several carbohydrates such as lactose, galactose, and mannitol were not utilized by the mutants, probably owing to a block in the uptake. Glucose could, however, be utilized by the mutants. Reversion frequency to wild type with regard to carbohydrate utilization was spontaneously high, and all revertants regained the parental pattern irrespective of the carbohydrate used for selection. The results suggest that a single locus may control the excretion of extracellular enzymes and carbohydrate uptake in S. aureus.

Full text

PDF
25

Selected References

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

  1. ALEXANDER M., HEPPEL L. A., HURWITZ J. The purification and properties of micrococcal nuclease. J Biol Chem. 1961 Nov;236:3014–3019. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arvidson S., Holme T., Wadström T. Formation of bacteriolytic enzymes in batch and continuous culture of Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):227–233. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.227-233.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. 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]
  4. Drapeau G. R., Boily Y., Houmard J. Purification and properties of an extracellular protease of Staphylococcus aureus. J Biol Chem. 1972 Oct 25;247(20):6720–6726. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. EGAN J. B., MORSE M. L. CARBOHYDRATE TRANSPORT IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS I. GENETIC AND BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF A PLEIOTROPIC TRANSPORT MUTANT. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1965 Feb 15;97:310–319. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(65)90096-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Egan J. B., Morse M. L. Carbohydrate transport in Staphylococcus aureus. 3. Studies of the transport process. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1966 Jan 4;112(1):63–73. doi: 10.1016/s0926-6585(96)90009-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Egan J. B., Morse M. L. Carbohydrate transport in Staphylococcus aureus. II. Characterization of the defect of a pleiotropic transport mutant. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1965 Sep 27;109(1):172–183. doi: 10.1016/0926-6585(65)90101-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Forsgren A., Nordström K., Philipson L., Sjöquist J. Protein A mutants of Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1971 Jul;107(1):245–250. doi: 10.1128/jb.107.1.245-250.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Goldbach W., Haenel H. Uber Lysozym- und Proteasenbildung bei Staphylokokken. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1964 Dec;195(2):201–205. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hengstenberg W., Egan J. B., Morse M. L. Carbohydrate transport in Staphylococcus aureus. V. The accumulation of phosphorylated carbohydrate derivatives, and evidence for a new enzyme-splitting lactose phosphate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Jul;58(1):274–279. doi: 10.1073/pnas.58.1.274. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hengstenberg W., Egan J. B., Morse M. L. Carbohydrate transport in Staphylococcus aureus. VI. The nature of the derivatives accumulated. J Biol Chem. 1968 Apr 25;243(8):1881–1885. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hengstenberg W., Penberthy W. K., Hill K. L., Morse M. L. Phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus: its requirement for the accumulation and metabolism of galactosides. J Bacteriol. 1969 Aug;99(2):383–388. doi: 10.1128/jb.99.2.383-388.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LIEB F. L., BRENNEIS B. [On proteases of Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus]. Arch Hyg Bakteriol. 1961 May;145:161–166. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lindberg M., Sjöström J. E., Johansson T. Transformation of chromosomal and plasmid characters in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1972 Feb;109(2):844–847. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.2.844-847.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MCCLATCHY J. K., ROSENBLUM E. D. INDUCTION OF LACTOSE UTILIZATION IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS. J Bacteriol. 1963 Dec;86:1211–1215. doi: 10.1128/jb.86.6.1211-1215.1963. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Omenn G. S., Friedman J. Isolation of mutants of Staphylococcus aureus lacking extracellular nuclease activity. J Bacteriol. 1970 Mar;101(3):921–924. doi: 10.1128/jb.101.3.921-924.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. ROBINSON J., THATCHER F. S., MONTFORD J. Studies with staphylococcal toxins. V. Possible identification of alpha hemolysin with a proteolytic enzyme. Can J Microbiol. 1960 Apr;6:183–194. doi: 10.1139/m60-020. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. ROBINSON J., THATCHER F. S., MONTFORD J. Studies with staphylococcal toxins. VI. Some properties of a nonhemolytic dermonecrotic toxin produced by some strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Can J Microbiol. 1960 Apr;6:195–201. doi: 10.1139/m60-021. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Tirunarayanan M. O., Lundbeck H. Investigations on the enzymes and toxins of staphylococci. Relations of pH to growth and production of enzymes. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1968;74(2):274–286. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1968.tb03479.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tirunarayanan M. O., Lundblad G. Investigations on the enzymes and toxins of staphylococci. Stydy of hyaluronidase by the viscosimetric method. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1968;73(2):211–219. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1968.tb00494.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tirunarynan M. O., Lundblad G. Investigations on the enzymes and toxins of staphylococci. Proteolytic enzymes and their purification. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1966;68(1):135–141. doi: 10.1111/apm.1966.68.1.135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Vesterberg O., Wadström T., Vesterberg K., Svensson H., Malmgren B. Studies on extracellular PROTEINS FROM Staphylococcus aureus. I. Separation and characterization of enzymes and toxins by isoelectric focusing. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1967 Apr 11;133(3):435–445. doi: 10.1016/0005-2795(67)90547-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES