Salt-induced cell lysis of Staphylococcus aureus

Cell lysis was efficiently induced in Staphylococcus aureus by the addition of 0.3 M NaCl to exponentially growing cultures at 30 degrees C. When cells harvested at the exponential phase were incubated in buffer with NaCl, autolysis occurred. Treatment with chloramphenicol failed to induce cell lysis by NaCl. The effects of NaCl on growing cells and harvested cells were inhibited by the addition of sodium polyanethole sulfonate, subtilisin, cardiolipin, and lipoteichoic acid. These agents diminished the activity of a cell wall-lytic enzyme liberated from the cells in the presence of NaCl. Lysis induced by salt appears to be catalyzed by a similar lytic enzyme in growing and harvested cells.