Chemical and biological properties of extracellular slime produced by Staphylococcus aureus grown in high-carbohydrate, high-salt medium.

Slime material produced by three strains of Staphylococcus aureus grown in the high-carbohydrate, high-salt modified 110 medium contained ribitol teichoic acid and, in two of the three strains, a basic protein reacting with antisera to S. aureus whole cells and cell walls. The basic protein differed chemically and serologically from cell wall mucopeptide and protein A. Substances resembling the capsular antigen of the Smith diffuse strain of S. aureus were not detected, nor were any other uronic acid-containing components. When cell walls, slime material, and teichoic acid were injected intradermally into cows, only cell walls produced a skin reaction.