Use of staphylococcal nuclease gene as DNA probe forStaphylococcus aureus

A 518-base pair fragment of the cloned gene coding for the thermostable nuclease of Staphylococcus aureus strain Foggi was used as a DNA probe for hybridization to DNA of various staphylococci. The strains were tested for their ability to produce DNase. All strains of S. aureus produced heat-stable DNase and their DNA reacted with the nuclease gene. Other staphylococci producing heat-stable DNase did not react in a dot hybridization with the nuclease gene probe.