Abstract
The polyvalent staphylococcal bacteriophage U16 failed to adsorb to an encapsulated Staphylococcus simulans strain. Partially purified cell wall and teichoic acid of this strain could, however, inactivate bacteriophage U16 to a great extent, indicating the presence of the phage receptor. It is concluded that the capsule of Staphylococcus simulans acts as a barrier for the interaction of the phage with its receptor in the bacterial cell wall.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Adams MN (1959) Bacteriophages. Interscience Publishers Incorporation, New York, p 592
Davidson AL, Baddiley J (1963) The distribution of teichoic acid in staphylococci. J Gen Microbiol 32:271–276
Pulverer G, Pillich J, Klein A (1975) New bacteriophages of Staphylococcus epidermidis. J Infect Dis 132:524–531
Schleifer KH (1983) The cell envelope. In: Easmon CSF, Adlam C (eds) Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections, vol 2. Academic Press, London New York, pp 385–428
Schleifer KH, Kandler O (1967) Zur chemischen Zusammensetzung der Zellwand der Streptokokken: I. Die Aminosäuresequenz des Mureins von Streptococcus thermophilus und Streptococcus feacalis. Arch Mikrobiol 57:335–364
Schleifer KH, Steber J (1974) Chemische Untersuchung am Phagenrezeptor von Staphylococcus epidermidis. Archiv Mikrobiol 98:251–270
Schumacher-Perdreau F, Pulverer G, Schleifer KH (1978) The phage adsorption test: A simple method for differentiation between staphylococci and micrococci. J Infect Dis 138:392–395
Shaw DFD, Chatterjee AN (1971) A-Acetyl groups as a component of the bacteriophage receptor on Staphylococcus aureus cell walls. J Bacteriol 108:584–585
Van der Ley P, de Graaff P, Tommassen J (1986) Shielding of Escherichia coli outer membrane proteins as receptors for bacteriophages and colicins by O-antigenic chains of lipopolysaccharide. J Bacteriol 168:449–451
Van de Rijn I, Kessler RE (1980) Growth characteristics of group A streptococci in a new chemically defined medium. Infect Immun 27:444–448
Wilkinson BJ, Holmes KH (1979) Staphylococcus aureus cell surface: capsule as a barrier to bacteriophage adsorption. Infect Immun 23:549–552
Yoshida K, Smith MR, Naito Y (1970) Biological and immunological properties of encapsulated strains of Staphylococcus aureus from human sources. Infect Immun 2:528–532
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ohshima, Y., Schumacher-Perdreau, F., Peters, G. et al. The role of capsule as a barrier to bacteriophage adsorption in an encapsulated Staphylococcus simulans strain. Med Microbiol Immunol 177, 229–233 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211222
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211222