Streptococcal Desoxyribonuclease: Significance in Lysis of Purulent Exudates and Production by Strains of Hemolytic Streptococci.

Abstract

In expts. in which the following substrates were employed: 1) specimens of purulent exudations from patients, 2) desoxyrib-ose nucleoprotein isolated from the exudates and, 3) desoxyrib-ose nucleic acid derived from nucleoprotein, striking and rapid lytic changes were demonstrable in the coarse sediment of substrate 1, in the fibrous material of substrate 2, and in the gel of substrate 3, following the addition of concd. filtrates obtained from cultures of hemolytic streptococci. The lytic action was found to be due to the presence of desoxyribonuclease which is elaborated during the growth of strains of hemolytic streptococci and is freely demonstrable in the fluid medium in which the organisms are cultivated. Among the strains tested, hemolytic streptococci of Group A which also possessed fibrinolytic properties were uniformly potent in the production of desoxyribonuclease. By the methods of simple testing that were employed,strains of Streptococcus viridans and pneumococcus were not found to possess a comparable property. Desoxyribonuclease and streptokinase, produced by the same strains, were found to be different substances. When streptococcal concentrates were added to whole samples of inflammatory exudates, the rapid lysis of both fibrin and desoxyribose nucleoprotein occurred.