Effective murolytic solubilization of streptococcal-group-specific antigen

Solubilization of group- and type-specific streptococcal antigens with a murolytic enzyme from Staphylococcus hyicus

Streptococcal group-specific antigens and B-streptococcal type antigens were solubilized with a murolytic enzyme from Staphylococcus hyicus. This facilitated the effective serogrouping and serotyping of streptococci isolated from humans and various animals.

Mutanolysin-induced lysis of actinomyces pyogenes determined by aggregometry

The lytic activity of mutanolysin from Streptomyces globisporus on 42 cultures of Actinomyces pyogenes could be effectively analyzed in an aggregometer. It was expressed as increase of transmittance at 546 nm after 20 min and 2 h at 37 degrees C. The A. pyogenes cultures revealed no uniform lysis pattern. Most of the cultures were lyzed within 20 to 40 min at 37 degrees C, others were lyzed only moderately or weakly within 2 h of incubation. The lytic activity was optimal at low (0.01 mol/l) molarity of the lysis buffer between pH 5.7 and 7 and could be inhibited by HgCl2.A. pyogenes was not lyzed by lysostaphin or lysozyme.

Comparative studies on Actinomyces pyogenes and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum

Actinomyces pyogenes and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum were further characterized. A. haemolyticum, in contrast to A. pyogenes, gave synergistic hemolytic reactions with streptococci of serological group B and inhibited staphylococcal beta-hemolysis. A. pyogenes and A. haemolyticum had a number of common, as well as distinctly different enzymatic properties, useful for their characterization. Extracts from A. pyogenes reacted with antiserum against streptococci of serological group G in contrast to those from A. haemolyticum.