Interference between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus: In vitro hydrogen peroxide-mediated killing by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
The bactericidal activity of Streptococcus pneumoniae toward Staphylococcus aureus is mediated by hydrogen peroxide. Catalase eliminated this activity. Pneumococci grown anaerobically or genetically lacking pyruvate oxidase (SpxB) were not bactericidal, nor were nonpneumococcal streptococci. These results provide a possible mechanistic explanation for the interspecies interference observed in epidemiologic studies.
Regev-Yochay
Gili
G
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. gregev@hsph.harvard.edu
Trzcinski
Krzysztof
K
Thompson
Claudette M
CM
Malley
Richard
R
Lipsitch
Marc
M
D000898:Antibiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase / Q000494:pharmacology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011771:Pyruvate Oxidase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002374:Catalase; D011771:Pyruvate Oxidase