Production, purification and chemical properties of an antistaphylococcal agent produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis.
An antibacterial agent produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis strain 5 was isolated from culture supernatants; its spectrum of activity is restricted to staphylococci and micrococci. The bacteriocin-like substance was purified to homogeneity by column chromatography on Servachrome XAD-2, CM-Sephadex C-25 and Sephadex G-50. Chemical analysis showed it to be a peptide with a molecular weight of about 6000 and an isoelectric point of about 10.5. Purified material was rapidly inactivated by trypsin, chymotrypsin and pronase and it was relatively heat-stable. After acidic hydrolysis 10 amino acid residues and two unidentified ninhydrin-positive substances were detected. Production of the bacteriocin-like substance was not inducible with mitomycin C.
D000596:Amino Acids; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D008837:Micrococcus / Q000254:growth & development; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000502:physiology*
D000596:Amino Acids; D001430:Bacteriocins; C017724:staphylococcin