The Journal of Experimental Medicine
PBL InterferonSource
  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF, 1081K)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Services
Right arrow Email this article
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new content in the JEM
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bernheimer, A. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Bernheimer, A. W.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 90, 373-392, Copyright, 1949, by The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research New York

ARTICLE

FORMATION OF A BACTERIAL TOXIN (STREPTOLYSIN S) BY RESTING CELLS

Alan W. Bernheimer Ph.D.1

1 From the Department of Microbiology, New York University College of Medicine and College of Dentistry, New York

The interaction of washed cocci, prepared under specified conditions, and a polynucleotide (AF) results in the formation of streptolysin S provided a fermentable carbohydrate is present. Maximum toxin formation requires, in addition, the presence of magnesium, potassium, and phosphate ions. Streptolysin S production proceeds anaerobically as well as aerobically but under the latter condition, apparently only if the system is sufficiently reducing. Temperature has a marked effect on the rate of appearance of toxin, the critical thermal increment having a value of approximately 36,000. The formation of streptolysin S is inhibited by mercuric ion, arsenite, iodoacetate, dinitrophenol, azide, and other enzyme poisons. The development of streptolysin S in resting cell systems depends neither upon autolysis nor upon physical extraction of preformed toxin but upon toxin synthesis.

From the supernatant fluid of the resting cell system, a product containing 20,000 to 30,000 units of streptolysin S per mg. dry weight can be isolated. Information concerning the pH stability of the product is presented. The product is free of streptokinase, hyaluronidase, and proteinase, but possesses appreciable desoxyribonuclease activity. Chemical analyses and other findings indicate that polynucleotide and carbohydrate are present in major amount, and that a small but undetermined quantity of protein is present. Inactivation of streptolysin S by chymotrypsin, ficin, papain, or cathepsin, and not by a variety of other enzymes, indicates that protein is essential for activity, but the precise chemical composition of the toxin remains to be established.

 Submitted on June 30, 1949


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:



  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search
TABLE OF CONTENTS