Diversity of adenosine degradation in staphylococci

Products of the early steps of adenosine catabolism by resting cells of staphylococci were chromatographically separated. Under the assay conditions employed, adenosine deaminase activity was associated with S. intermedius and S. epidermidis but it was absent from S. aureus and S. auricularis. Adenosine nucleosidase activity was associated with S. epidermidis, S. aureus and S. auricularis but it was absent from S. intermedius.