Sunday, February 26, 2017

Basics of Coagulase test

Hello awesomites let's today see today about enzyme "Coagulase".

Coagulase is an enzyme produced by several micro-organisms to protect them from host's immune system . Coagulase  is especially produced by S.aureus hence we use coagulase test to differentiate between S.aureus and other species of Staphylococcus.

How does Coagulase enzyme act in S.aureus  ?
Basically it enables conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin.In case of S.aureus Coagulase reacts with prothrombin and forms Staphylothrombin
complex which helps enzyme protease to convert fibrinogen to fibrin which results in clotting of blood.Coagulase in S.aureus is tightly bound to surface and hence fibrin thus formed coats ,the bacteria and hence bacteria is protected from  host's immune system .

Two forms of coagulase exist:
1) Clumping factor (Bound to cell).
2) Free Coagulase or Coagulase.

What is Clumping factor?
It acts directly on the fibrinogen in plasma and helps in adherence of the organism to fibrinogen resulting in clumping .
Detected by slide coagulase test.

What is free coagulase ?
It is excreted from the cell as a free enzyme.It first acts on prothrombin ,the product so formed acts on fibrinogen and forms a fibrin clot.
It needs coagulase reacting factor (CRF).
8 types of coagulase have been identified .Most human strain forms coagulase A
It is detected by tube coagulase test.

Trick to remember test ?
Slide coagulase test -Clumping factor


And you can simply put other test for free coagulase.! =P
Stay cool and awesome:)
~Ojas

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