Alteration of bacteriolytic enzyme profile of Staphylococcus aureus during growth.

Profiles of cell-associated bacteriolytic activities and those in the culture supernatant of Staphylococcus aureus FDA209P at various stages of growth were analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels containing Micrococcus luteus or S. aureus. In the logarithmic growth phase, the cell-associated bacteriolytic activities extracted with Triton X-100 contained a number of bacteriolytic proteins, the profiles of which were similar to those we reported elsewhere (Sugai, M., Akiyama, T., Komatsuzawa, H., Miyake, Y., and Suginaka, H. (1990) J. Bacteriol., 172, 6494-6498). The proteins include P1, P2, P7, P9, PX, P13, P18 and other minor components. At the stationary growth phase, the bacteriolytic band-profile of the Triton X-100 extract changed dramatically. P1, P7 and P9 disappeared, and the other minor bands had markedly decreased band intensities. On the other hand, P2, PX, P13, and P18 retained their band intensities during the stationary growth phase. The band intensities of P7, P13, PX, and P18 increased in the supernatant during the logarithmic growth phase. These results indicated that the bacteriolytic band-profile changes during growth.