A lithium chloride-extracted, broad-spectrum-adhesive 42-kilodalton protein of Staphylococcus epidermidis is ornithine carbamoyltransferase

To identify novel putative staphylococcal adhesins, lithium chloride extrac tion tan established method for selective surface molecule solubilization) was employed. N-terminal sequencing and functional assays identified a 42.k Da fibronectin-binding protein from Staphylococcus epidermidis as ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCTase). However, OCTase was not recognizable extrac ellularly, and this fact together with the fact that LiCl induced DNA. rele ase and a decrease in viability suggests that LiCl extraction may not be th e method of choice for selective surface molecule extraction from staphyloc occi.