Abstract
Formerly Abe (1956, 1957) produced the “penicillin-hypersensitive” strain (P.H.S.) by making Staphylococcus aureus acriflavin-resistant. In the present investigation Qo2 of normal (N), penicillin resistant (P. R.) and PHS strains were estimated. The results were as follows :
These results suggest that in P. R. strain. the intracellular concentration of flavoprotein enzymes is high and that of cytochrome-cytochrome oxidase system is low, and in P.H.S. strain the relationship is reverse, as flavoprotein plays a principal role in the oxidation of alanine, and cytochrome system does in that of glutamic acid.
When riboflavin, a metabolic inhibitor of flavoprotein enzyme, was added, the oxidation of l-alanine by N and P. R. was inhibited in some exent, but in the case of P. H. S. the rate of oxidation was unaffected.
These results may support Abe's opinion (1957) that a decrease in cytochrome system. and a compensative increase in flavoprotein enzymes occur in P.R. strain.
