Effects of Sodium N-lauroyl Sarcosinate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate on the Activity of Bacteriolytic Enzyme Derived from Streptomyces globisporus

Abstract

Effects of surface active agents, sodium N-lauroyl sarcosinate (SLSa) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLSu), on the bacteriolytic activity of the enzyme derived from Streptomyces globisporus 1829 were sudied.Resting whole cells or crude dl walls of Streptococcus mutansBHT were allowed to react with the lytic enzyme in the presence or absence of the surfactants. After appropriate time of incubation at 37°C, bacterial lysis was determined by monitoring the turbidity of the suspensions and the amounts of free reducing sugars released.Lytic activity of the enzyme was enhanced by the presence of SLSa at concentrations higher than 0.3% when the whole cells were used as a substrate, and at a concentration even as low as 0.1% when using cell walls. On the other hand, lysis of whole cells by the enzyme was increased by the presence of SLSu at concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 0.12%, but the enhancing effect of the surfactants at those concentrations could not be demonstrated when using cell walls as substrate. At concentrations higher than 0.15%, SLSu markedly inhibited the enzymatic lysis of both whole cells and cell walls. These results were consistently demonstratred by using both of the two methods to monitor bacterial lysis. Apparent reduction in turbidity of substrate suspensions caused by SLSa or SLSu alone did not accompany significant release of free reducing sugars, and vice versa.These results suggest that SLSa and SLSu increased the bacteriolytic activity of the enzyme by different mechanisms.