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Autolysis of Microbial Cells: Salt Activation of Autolytic Enzymes in a Mutant of Staphylococcus aureus

¹ Department of Microbiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642

ABSTRACT

The effect of various salts on the autolysis of cell wall of a ribitol teichoic acid-deficient mutant of Staphylococcus aureus H (strain 52A5 carrying tar-1) was compared with the parent strain. In the presence of high concentrations of certain salts such as 1.0 M NaCl, the mutant undergoes autolysis with the release of osmotically sensitive spheroplasts. The parent strain is not affected by these conditions. The stimulation of lysis is related to an activation of N-acylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase.

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