Metabolism of polyamines by Staphylococcus.

Rosenthal, Sanford M. (National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, Bethesda, Md.) and Donald T. Dubin. Metabolism of polyamines by Staphylococcus. J. Bacteriol. 84:859-863. 1962-Although spermine and spermidine are not detectable in staphylococci grown in purified medium, considerable amounts (0.7 to 1.4 mumole/g wet wt) were demonstrated in cells grown in the presence of these amines. Conjugation of spermine, and to a lesser extent of spermidine, was demonstrated. Putrescine and cadaverine added to purified medium are not appreciably taken up by staphylococcal cells. However, high percentages were recovered in the medium in conjugated form. These conjugates were shown to be monoacetylputrescine and probably monoacetylcadaverine. Meat infusion broth, neopeptone, spermine, and spermidine were highly inhibitory to this acetylation. No evidence of utilization of these polyamines was obtained.