Streptococcal Desoxyribonuclease: Significance in Lysis of Purulent Exudates and Production by Strains of Hemolytic Streptococci.

In experiments in which the following substrates were employed: 1) specimens of purulent exudations from patients, 2) desoxyribose nucleoprotein isolated from the exudates and, 3) desoxyribose nucleic acid derived from nucleoprotein, striking and rapid lytic changes were demonstrable in the coarse sediment of substrate 1, in the fibrous material of substrate 2, and in the gel of substrate 3, following the addition of concentrated filtrates obtained from cultures of hemolytic streptococci. The lytic action was found to be due to the presence of desoxyribonuclease which is elaborated during the growth of strains of hemolytic streptococci and is freely demonstrable in the fluid medium in which the organisms are cultivated.