SURVEY OF HEMOLYSIN PRODUCTION AMONG SPECIES OF PSEUDOMONADS

Abstract

A survey of hemolysin production among pseudomonads was made, using the cellophane plate technique. Several pseudomonads, both animal pathogens and nonpathogens, produced hemolysin; it appears probable that hemolysin production cannot be used to differentiate species. Phenazine pigment producers, regardless of their pathogenicity to animals, tend to produce high titers of hemolysin. Some qualitative differences appear in hemolysins produced by various pseudomonads. Those produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. pseudomallei are heat resistant and act more rapidly on erythrocytes than the hemolysins produced by P. aureofaciens and P. chlororaphis which are heat labile and produce hemolysis only after prolonged incubation. Pyocyanogenic species such as P. marginalia, P. syncyanea and Phytomonas polycolor produce hemolysins which are qualitatively and quantitatively comparable to that of P. aeruginosa. P. pseudomallei produces a heat labile, nonhemolytic substance which is responsible for most of the mouse toxicity.