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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1962

Isolation and properties of a surface antigen of Staphylococcus aureus.

A technique is described for the isolation and purification of an antigen released into the culture medium by Staphylococcus aureus strain Smith. The antigen was found to be homogeneous when examined by free electrophoresis and analytic ultracentrifugation. Immunologic homogeneity was established by immunoelectrophoresis and quantitative precipitin tests using high titer antiserum prepared against the homologous organism. Chemical analysis showed that the antigen contained 70 per cent carbohydrate, of which approximately 30 to 35 per cent was believed to be glucosamine. The analytic data suggested that another amino sugar, probably carboxylated, was also present, but extreme lability of this compound to mild hydrolytic procedures has thus far precluded further identification. The remainder of the antigen was composed of alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine, glycine, serine, and threonine. No muramic acid was found. The chemical and physical data indicate that the antigen described herein is a previously unrecognized component of Staphylococcus aureus. The purified compound was capable of absorbing agglutinating antibody from antiserum prepared against S. aureus Smith, indicating that it was a surface component of this encapsulated staphylococcus. It is proposed that the antigen be known as the Smith surface antigen (SSA). The injection of SSA into rabbits did not produce precipitating antibodies. However, SSA did precipitate at low concentrations (0.5 microg/ml) with antiserum prepared against S. aureus Smith and one other strain of S. aureus tested. Antiserum against two other aureus strains reacted only with high concentrations of SSA. SSA did not react with S. albus antiserum or with normal sera from several animal species. Experiments are in progress to define further the distribution of SSA. Intradermal injection of small quantities of SSA into rabbits immunized with S. aureus Smith evoked a reaction of cutaneous hypersensitivity, which was maximal in 8 to 12 hours. SSA appeared to be the substance responsible for the ability of S. aureus Smith to resist engulfment by phagocytes, since absorption of Smith antiserum with SSA effectively removed opsonizing antibodies. SSA induced protection in mice against experimental staphylococcal disease. The subcutaneous injection of 0.1 microg resulted in protection against a subsequent intraperitoneal challenge with 50 to 100 LD(50)'s of S. aureus Smith suspended in mucin. Increasing as well as decreasing the immunizing dose resulted in significantly less protection.

Animals↗
PubMed1962

Studies on the chemistry and immunochemistry of cell walls of Staphylococcus aureus.

The cell walls of an 80/81 strain of Staphylococcus aureus (NYH-6) contain alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, lysine, muramic acid, glucosamine, and ribitol phosphate. 94 per cent of the phosphorus and 41 per cent of the glucosamine are removed by extraction of the cell walls with hot 5 per cent TCA, but significant amounts of the other constituents are not extracted by this procedure. The residue after hot TCA extraction (mucopeptide) is susceptible to lysozyme whereas the intact cell walls are resistant. Staphylococcus aureus cell walls are agglutinated by S. aureus antisera. Agglutination of the cell walls of one S. aureus strain is inhibited by absorption of antisera with cell walls of other S. aureus strains but not by absorption with S. albus cell walls. The ribitol teichoic acid can be isolated from cold TCA extracts of the cell walls. This compound consists almost entirely of ribitol phosphate and glucosamine. The isolated teichoic acid of strain NYH-6 is readily fixed to tanned sheep erythrocytes and these sensitized cells are agglutinated by S. aureus antisera. Cold TCA extracts of cell walls of other strains of S. aureus inhibit hemagglutination whereas extracts of S. albus walls do not. Studies on the inhibition of both hemagglutination and precipitation indicate that the antigenic determinant of S. aureus NYH-6 teichoic acid is beta-N-acetylglucosamine.

Animals↗
PubMed1961

Antibodies against Staphylococcus aureus in nonimmunized rabbits.

Cohen, Jay O. (Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, Ga.), Glenda S. Cowart, and William B. Cherry. Antibodies against Staphylococcus aureus in nonimmunized rabbits. J. Bacteriol. 82:110-114. 1961.-Antibody against staphylococci was demonstrated in the serum of each of 36 nonimmunized specific-pathogen-free rabbits that were tested. Evidence obtained is in agreement with the proposition that two distinct staphylococcal antibodies are present in the sera from these nonimmunized rabbits. One is responsible for agglutination of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan serotype I, and the other for the formation of a reaction line observed in Ouchterlony plates with soluble antigens of both Cowan serotype I and Cowan serotype III. Fluorescent antibody reagent prepared from preimmune rabbit serum stained some strains of coagulase positive staphylococci, including Cowan's types I and III, and failed to stain any of 14 coagulase negative strains. The sera of rabbits obtained from a commercial source were shown to contain other antibodies for staphylococci in addition to the two found in the sera of specific-pathogen-free rabbits. The data suggested that rabbits from commercial sources have had contact with a great variety of antigens capable of stimulating staphylococcal antibody.Evidence demonstrated that normal rabbit serum from specific-pathogen-free animals of our colony could be used for differentiation of certain staphylococcal strains.

Animals↗
PubMed1961

Staphylococcal Muller phenomenon: relationship to the plasminogen-plasmin system.

Quie, Paul G. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis) and Lewis W. Wannamaker. Staphylococcal Muller phenomenon: relationship to the plasminogen-plasmin system. J. Bacteriol. 82:770-783. 1961.-The staphylococcal factor that produces particulate proteolysis (Muller phenomenon) in whole blood or hemoglobinserum agar plates has been obtained in supernatants from broth cultures. This has facilitated study of the phenomenon in a sterile system. The bacterial factor has been partially separated from other extracellular products by starch zone electrophoresis. Staphylococcal Muller factor and staphylokinase are similar in heat stability, in electrophoretic mobility, and in activation of a serum proteolytic system. A relationship of the Muller phenomenon to the plasminogen-plasmin system is also suggested by the observation that purified plasminogen may be substituted for serum in the sterile system, and by the finding that inhibitors of the plasminogen-plasmin system also inhibit the Muller phenomenon. Although growing colonies of streptococci fail to exhibit the Muller phenomenon, particulate proteolysis can be demonstrated with streptokinase, using a double-diffusion technique. A similar phenomenon can be produced with urine, suggesting that urokinase may substitute for the bacterial activators in the Muller phenomenon. Although evidence from other sources suggests that the serum Muller factor is particulate, the serum factor appears to be freely diffusible in agar and is not readily sedimented in the ultracentrifuge.

Fibrinolysin↗