Production of Thermonuclease Deficient Mutants from an Enterotoxigenic Thermonuclease Producing Strain ofStaphylococcus aureus

摘要

ABSTRACTA toxigenic strain ofStaphylococcus aureusknown to produce both thermonuclease and enterotoxin was exposed to ultraviolet radiations. Thermonuclease deficient mutants were recovered on methylgreen‐DNA‐agar medium. All of twenty thermonuclease deficient mutants lost the capacity to produce coagulase, enterotoxin, and lecithinase. However, these functions were regained upon reversion with visible light (Photoreactivation) thus suggesting a coordinated control mechanism for the synthesis and release of the above metabolites. These characteristics in most of the mutants remained stable for 3 mon