[Antibacterial activity of a lysozyme-like enzyme from staphylococci]

A lysozyme-like enzyme isolated from the culture broth of Staph. aureus 712 presented in its native state a lipoproteid complex. The lytic and antibacterial spectrum of the enzyme was similar to that of the egg albumin enzyme. However, the lipoproteid complex was somewhat superior to the egg albumin complex in its activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus, a number of gramnegative bacteria and staphylococci. Out of the organisms studied Microccus lysodeikticus, Sarcina and Bac. subtilis proved to be most sensitive to the both enzymes. Comparison of the amount of the enzyme formed in the culture medium with its minimum inhibitory concentration with respect to most of the microbes tested provided a supposition that the lipoproteid enzyme did not play a significant role in the process of the microbial antagonism.