STUDIES ON STAPHYLOCOCCI I

Abstract

Coagulase positive strains of Staphylococcus aureus respired much more actively than did coagulase negative strains using normal human serum as substrate. No difference was observed in the rate of oxidation of glucose and pyruvate by coagulase positive and negative S. aureus strains. Differential permeability or nutritional differences in the 2 groups of organisms were not responsible for the above observations. Purified coagulase, when added to the system stimulated the respiration of both coagulase positive and coagulase negative strains with serum as substrate. The negative strains were stimulated about twice as much as the positive strains under the same conditions.