The Characteristics of Extracellular Protein Secretion by Staphylococcus staphylolyticus

Abstract

The differential rate of extracellular protein formation by Staphylococcus staphylolyticus, the lysostaphin-producing organism, was biphasic with a low rate of exoprotein secretion during exponential growth and an increased rate during the post-exponential phase of growth. After 20 h, when no further exoprotein was secreted, exoprotein accounted for 5% of the total protein in the culture. The secretion of three extracellular enzymes was monitored and found to represent a constant proportion of total exoprotein at exoprotein concentrations greater than 0.1 mg ml-l.

A Mathematical Model of Exoprotein Production in Bacteria

“…This compares very well with p (proteinase)-x (cell density) plots in Coleman (1967), and can be compared to similar plots in other work (Coleman, 1981;Robinson et al, 1980;Abbas-Ali and Coleman 1977). This argument suggests that the simple model presented here can serve as a useful representation of the extracellular production of protein, for that class of organisms which has the switching behaviour described in the introduction.…”

“…A number of different experiments for different organisms yield values in the range 0-025-0-25 mg ml" 1 hr" 1 at bacterial dry weights of about 1 to 6 mg ml" 1 (AbbasAli Coleman 1967Coleman , 1981Coleman, Jakeman & Martin, 1978;Robinson, Keating, & Sloan, 1980;Williams & Wimpenny, 1977). We take k 2~0 -01 mg (protease) mg (bacteria)" 1 hr" 1 .…”

Extracellular proteolytic activation of bacteriolytic peptidoglycan hydrolases ofStaphylococcus simulansbiovarstaphylolyticus

“…simulans biovar staphylolyticus secretes pro-endopeptidase (M r 59 K), which is proteolytically processed to endopeptidase (M r 26 K) [5,14,15]. In our studies of extracellular protein production by this organism, we have detected only one proteolytic activity, which is due to sulphydryl protease [7][8][9][10]13]. Zhou et al [16] purified this enzyme and showed that it converted purified proendopeptidase to endopeptidase.…”

“…Bacterial growth and enzyme assays S. simulans biovar staphylolyticus was grown in modified lysostaphin production medium [7], and endopeptidase, hexosaminidase and protease activities were determined by standard tube assays as described previously [8,17].…”

A New Two-Component Regulatory System Involved in Adhesion, Autolysis, and Extracellular Proteolytic Activity of Staphylococcus aureus

“…The decrease in OD 660 was measured every 30 min for 3 h. Units of bacteriolytic activity are reported as the linear slope of a plot of OD 660 Proteolytic activities were determined using the insoluble proteolytic substrate azocoll (Calbiochem) as previously described (22,44) with some modifications. The substrate (4 mg/ml) was suspended in 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0).…”