[The quantitative determination of the DNAse activity in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from monkeys]

A new, cheaper and more sensitive method for the quantitative determination of DNAase produced by S. aureus is described. The method permits the determination of DNAase activity in a wider range of titers. The method is based on the detection of the depolymerizing action of staphylococcal nuclease on DNA dyed with ethidium bromide. In this work 22 S. aureus strains isolated from monkeys and 12 strains isolated from humans have been used. The amount of produced by these strains has been determined. The DNAase results of this determination have shown that among S. aureus strains isolated from monkeys and humans the occurrence of strains with both high and low DNAase activity can be observed.