title: Bactericidal activity in the pig roundworm Ascaris suum.
abstract: A potent, humoral, bactericidal activity against Micrococcus luteus was discovered in pseudocoelomic fluid of the pig roundworm, Ascaris suum. The activity, which was not bacteriolytic, was not due to lysozyme or to a dietary antibiotic. It was not inactivated by exposure to 100 degrees C, to low or high pH, or to ethanol. Dialysis, electrophoresis and agar-diffusion experiments suggested that the main antibacterial activity in the fluid was associated with a basic substance of molecular weight somewhat less than 14,000 Da. Two other Gram-positive organisms, Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus, were also killed by the Ascaris fluid, but the Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Bordetella bronchiseptica were insensitive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wardlaw
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Forsyth
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Crompton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017165:Ascaris suum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D009113:Muramidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D015645:Tylosin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D009113:Muramidase; D015645:Tylosin