Production and detection of staphylococcal elastase.

The optimum conditions were determined for the production and detection of staphylococcal elastase from Staphylococcus epidermidis. Optimum production and recovery took place when the dialysis membrane technique was utilized with brain heart infusion agar incubated for 44 h under 15% CO2 and harvested in physiological saline. Near-optimal production took place by 28 h, and this was found more useful for routine use. Incorporation of elastin into the culture medium or the inoculum did not result in higher levels of elastase production. The detection system consisted of 0.25% particulate elastin suspended in a pH 7.0, 0.05 M tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-hydrochloride-buffered solidified plated medium. Crude undialyzed elastase was best detected when the medium contained either agarose and 10(-3) M calcium or purified agar without additional additives. Crude dialyzed elastase was best detected when the medium contained agarose and 10(-3) M disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.