Biological Activity of 5-Hydroxymethyluracil and Its Deoxynucleoside in Noninfected and Phageinfected Bacillus subtilis

(14)C-hydroxymethyldeoxyuridine (dHMU) is specifically incorporated into the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of bacteriophage SP8. Incorporation experiments demonstrate that the initiation of phage SP8 DNA synthesis occurs between 12.5 to 15 min after infection. Incorporation into host DNA does not occur. (14)C-dHMU can be used as an analytical tool for screening conditionally lethal phage mutants containing hydroxymethyluracil in their DNA to select those that are defective in DNA synthesis under restrictive conditions. The pyrimidine, (14)C-hydroxymethyluracil (HMU), is not incorporated into bacterial or phage DNA. Neither HMU nor dHMU can replace thymine as a growth requirement for Bacillus subtilis 168 Ind(-) Thy(-). HMU does not inhibit the utilization of thymine. Although dHMU inhibits deoxythymidine utilization, the inhibition is not competitive.     

Terminal Disinfection in Hospitals with Quaternary Ammonium Compounds by Use of a Spray-Fog Technique

Spray-fogging of hospital rooms with a quarternary ammonium disinfectant was found to be an effective means of reducing the number of detectable airborne and surface bacteria. The level of bacterial contamination in hospital rooms was determined before and after fogging by means of the gravitational fallout method, the petri dish swab technique, and volumetric air-sampling procedures. Rooms vacated by patients infected with staphylococci, streptococci, pseudomonads, and salmonellae were tested and found to be effectively decontaminated of most of the detectable organisms by the fogging procedure.     

Staphylococcal Hyaluronate Lyase: Purification and Characterization Studies

Staphylococcal hyaluronate lyase (hyaluronidase) derived from a pathogenic strain of staphylococcus was purified by means of salt fractionation with ammonium sulfate and gel filtration through Sephadex G-100. Most of the enzyme activity from concentrated culture supernatant fluids of staphylococci was obtained in a fraction precipitated by 90 to 100% saturation with ammonium sulfate. A small amount of enzyme was also precipitated by 80 to 90% saturation with the salt. The hyaluronidase-rich fractions did not contain other staphylococcal enzymes, such as coagulase, protease, lipase, and staphylokinase. These enzymes were present in the original concentrates. Molecular sieving chromatography of the partially purified enzyme by filtration through Sephadex G-100 resulted in a further increase in specific enzyme activity. However, more than one active peak was obtained after gel filtration, thus suggesting that there may be more than one molecular form of the enzyme. Immunodiffusion in agar gel of the chromatographically purified enzyme fraction, with immune serum from rabbits injected with concentrated staphylococcal culture supernatant fluids, indicated that there was one major antigen. A similar antigen, giving reactions of identity with the purified material, was present in the original culture supernatant fluid.