Identification of Staphylococci Isolated from Clinical Material

Nuclease Production and Lysostaphin Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus and Other Catalase-Positive Cocci

“…Although nuclease production was suggested as an indicator of potentially pathogenic staphylococci over a decade ago (7), interest has mounted only in recent years (4,5,17,23). Enthusiasm for the diagnostic utility of staphylococcal nuclease, however, is not widespread (2,19,27). Indeed, as our data show, nuclease production per se is of limited use in identifying S. aureus.…”

“…Lachica et al (15) demonstrated that thermostable nuclease is produced by nearly all strains of S. aureus. Although nuclease activity is displayed by other members of the family Micrococcaceae (2,19,27), the thermal resistance of such non-S. aureus micrococcal nucleases has not been investigated.…”