The sensitivity of gram-negative bacteria, recovered from aerosols, to lysozyme and other hydrolytic enzymes.

Abstract

SUMMARY: The susceptibility of five strains of bacteria, recovered after storage in the aerosol state, to certain hydrolytic enzymes has been examined. Aerosolized Escherichia coli organisms, strains b and jepp, rapidly became susceptible to the bactericidal effects of lysozyme, ribonuclease, deoxyribonuclease and trypsin. E. coli strain commune and Serratia marcescens strain 8 UK organisms remained insensitive to all four enzymes, Aerobacter aerogenes strain h organisms developed sensitivity to lysozyme only. Raffinose, dextran, glucose, glycerol or sodium glutamate added to the bacterial suspensions increased their survival time as aerosols and decreased the sensitivity of survivors to lysozyme. These results support the hypothesis that changes in the outer wall structure of bacteria precede, and possibly contribute to, the death of organisms in the aerosol state.