Inhibition of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Formation by Cell Wall Blocking Agents and other Compounds

Abstract

Enterotoxin B formation by Staphylococcus aureus S6 was inhibited by Tween 80, oleic acid, sodium deoxycholate, penicillin, d -cycloserine, or bacitracin. Toxin formation by strain 243 was sensitive to oleic acid, sodium deoxycholate, sodium lauryl sulfate, d -cycloserine, or bacitracin. The effect of d -cycloserine was reversed by d -alanine with strain 243 but not with strain S6. Neither penicillin nor bacitracin inhibited α-hemolysin or coagulase activity of strain S6; however, 0.118 μmoles of d -cycloserine per ml increased the α-hemolysin titer more than eightfold. Pigmentation of strain 243 was reduced by oleic acid, sodium deoxycholate, or methicillin, and was completely inhibited by d -cycloserine or bacitracin. Glucose was required for the inhibition by spermine of 14 C-valine incorporation into cellular protein of strain S6. These data indicate that the cell surface may contain sites important to the synthesis of enterotoxin B.