CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPRESSION OF FATTY-ACID MODIFYING ENZYME PRODUCED BY STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS

The production of fatty-acid modifying enzyme (FAME) - first identifie d as a possible virulence factor in Staphylococcus aureus - has also b een identified in S. epidermidis, This extracellular enzyme inactivate s bactericidal fatty acids by esterifying them to cholesterol, FAME ma y provide protection for S. epidermidis by inactivating these lipids p resent on the skin, Over 88% of 51 randomly collected S. epidermidis i solates produced FAME; 92.2% and 13.7% of the same strains produced li pase and slime, respectively, There appeared to be no correlation of l ipase activity or slime production with FAME production, The temperatu re optimum for FAME was between 20 degrees C and 35 degrees C, and the pH optimum was 6.0, Optimal enzyme activity was present at NaCl conce ntrations of between 250 and 500mM. FAME was not detected in culture f iltrates until early stationary phase, indicating some regulatory cont rol over enzyme production.