Growth Inhibition and Pyocin Receptor Properties of Endotoxin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Summary

Endotoxin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited bacteriocinogenic activity against several auto-plaque positive strains and appeared to enhance auto-plaque production in the inhibited strains, whereas all auto-plaque negative strains were unaffected. However, chemically removed protein moiety of the endotoxin did not exhibit any bacteriocinogenic activity when tested against seventy strains of P. aeruginosa. In addition, endotoxin appeared to behave as specific receptor site for bacteriocin particles (pyocin) obtained from P. aeruginosa. Consequently, when uncontracted pyocin particles from strain C₉ were incubated with endotoxin from the sensitive indicator strain W₉, they adsorbed to the endotoxin and underwent contraction. However, pyocin from C₉ did not adsorb or undergo contraction when incubated with endotoxin from C₉.