Synthesis of Enterotoxin by L-Forms of Staphylococcus aureus.

After prolonged treatment with methicillin and penicillin, L-forms were prepared from 12 of 22 strains of Staphylococcus aureus. These L-forms were obtained from five of nine strains which produced enterotoxin A, from three of six strains that produced enterotoxin B, and from three of six strains that produced enterotoxin C. An L-form was also prepared from S. aureus strain AH, which produces both enterotoxins A and C. The synthesis of enterotoxin A by parent strains was least affected by the conditions required for L-form growth. Detectable amounts of enterotoxin A were produced by all of the revertants tested and by five of the six L-forms which were derived from type A-producing cells. Detectable amounts of enterotoxin B were produced by four of the five revertants but by none of the L-forms derived from type B-producing cells. Revertants and L-forms from cells which produced enterotoxin C did not produce enough enterotoxin C to be detectable on microslides.