Amino acid requirements for the growth and enterotoxin production by Staphylococcus aureus in chemically defined media.

The production of enterotoxins A, B, and C by five strains of Staphylococcus aureus was studied in a series of defined media, each differing from the complete defined medium in the lack of one amino acid. Valine was required for growth; arginine and cystine for growth and enterotoxin production. Omission of individual amino acid affected in different ways the yields of the toxins produced.