Physiological conditions affecting Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility to staphylococcin 1580.

Abstract

Loss of salt tolerance, irreversible loss of viability, inhibition of l-glutamic acid uptake and effects on the high energy state of the membrane were used as parameters to measure the injury induced by staphylococcin 1580, a bacteriocin of Staphylococcus epidermidis, in susceptible cells of Staphylococcus aureus Oxford 209P. A small part of a growing cell population appeared to be temporarily resistant to the bacteriocin, and the cells were arrested in this stage when suspended in buffer. The proportion of susceptible cells may rapidly shift during exponential growth, apparently concomitantly with a change in cell metabolism. Glucose- and pyruvate-grown cells were equally susceptible to salts after staphylococcin treatment. Only in pyruvate-grown cells was amino acid uptake strongly inhibited, and the membrane potential was abolished after a short lag time. Also, irreversible killing was more distinct in pyruvate-grown cells. The proton gradient across the cell membrane was only slightly disturbed in both types of cells. Specific inhibitors of the energy metabolism revealed that the high energy state of the membrane was largely supported by hydrolysis of adenosine 5'-triphosphate in glucose-grown cells, whereas the oxidative input through electron transport appeared to be relatively more important in pyruvate-grown cells. Staphylococcin 1580 affected primarily the oxidative energy metabolism, although electron transport is not inhibited. Below a distinct incubation temperature cells were completely resistant to the action of the bacteriocin. Varying the growth temperature had only a slight effect on the transition temperature, but growth in the presence of Tween 80, which greatly enhanced the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, decreased the transition temperature.