Pleiotropic changes in the activities of extracellular toxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa protease-deficient mutants.

Protease-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained by ethyl methane sulphonate treatment were found to show pleiotropic effect on various extracellular toxin activities. Of eight mutants five were completely deficient in lecithinase and four in collagenase activity. The decreased hemolytic activity was obtained in five mutants and enterotoxin activity in seven mutants as compared to parent strain.