Immunological examination of the glycocalyces ofStaphylococcus aureus strains Wiley and Smith

The immunological examination of the glycocalyces ofStaphylococcus aureus has been concerned with capsular elements while essentially neglecting slime layers. We have found bacterial slime layers to be prevalent in many natural bacterial environments and, in particular, in recently isolatedS. aureus strains Wiley and Smith 1]. Growth in modified staphylococcus 110 medium induces slime layer production in these strains, and investigation of this material has revealed the two slime layers to be immunogenically and antigenically identical. The slime layer of the Smith strain is immunologically distinct from the tight, integral capsule that also comprises the glycocalyx of this strain. The Wiley strain glycocalyx is composed of only a slime layer.