Characterization of Staphylococcus species by SDS-PAGE of whole-cell and extracellular proteins

In this study, a total of fifteen staphylococcal strains belonging to different species were characterized by whole-cell and extracellular protein profiles using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The results are presented as dendrograms after quantitative analysis of the band patterns with a computer program. Visual inspection of protein bands and cluster analysis of protein patterns of to be used 15 strains, representing 10 Staphylococcus species, showed that whole-cell and extracellular protein profiles differed in several protein bands in Staphylacoccus aureus, S. epidermidis, S. simulans, and other species of Staphylococcus; however, the differences were insufficient for reliable differentiation of Staphylococcus species by the SDS-PAGE method.