Requirement of Certain Plasma Factors for Production of Red Band By Staphylococcus aureus

Summary1. The Guy and Oxford strains of S. aureus regularly cause development of the red band phenomena when inoculated on agar containing washed red cells and alpha globulin IV1 lot 6 (Pentex). 2. Fraction IV1, lot 6, is not able to replace plasma in the development of lipid plaques noted in whole blood containing plates inoculated with the Guy strain. 3. Human alpha globulin fractions IV, IV4 or bovine fraction IV1 could also be substituted for whole plasma to produce the red band phenomenon. 4. Further studies are being conducted in efforts to discover what substance in fractions IV, IV1and IV4 serves as a specific substrate for the red band production.