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Identification of functionally active fragments of staphylococcal enterotoxin B.

It has been found that staphylococcal enterotoxin B contains a proteolysis-sensitive sequence in the cysteine loop formed by two half-cystines located in the middle of the toxin polypeptide chain. Fragments of the enterotoxin formed as a result of its digestion in this region have been isolated, their N-terminal sequences have been determined and sites of proteolysis have been identified. It has been demonstrated that the N-terminal fragment of staphylococcal enterotoxin B is capable of activating T cell proliferation in the culture of human mononuclear cells practically to the same degree as the intact enterotoxin. The toxin's C-terminal fragment possesses an ability to activate calmodulin-dependent enzymes and is probably the toxicogenic part of the enterotoxin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Diarrhoeal enterotoxin production by strains of Bacillus thuringiensis isolated from commercial Bacillus thuringiensis-based insecticides.

Strains of Bacillus cereus and B. thuringiensis were tested by the Tecra VIA kit for the ability to produce a diarrhoeal enterotoxin. The strains of B. thuringiensis were isolated from commercial B. thuringiensis-based insecticides (Bactimos, DiPel, Florbac, FC, Foray 48B, Novodor FC, Turex, VecTobac, XenTari). The production of diarrhoeal enterotoxin varied by a factor of more than 100 among the different strains tested. B. cereus (F4433/73) produced the highest amount of enterotoxin and the B. thuringiensis strain isolated from DiPel the lowest. The products were tested for their content of diarrhoeal enterotoxin and all products, except MVP which does not contain viable B. thuringiensis spores, contained diarrhoeal enterotoxins. The results indicates an potential risk for gastroenteritis outbreak caused by B. thuringiensis.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗

Involvement of prostaglandin E2 synthesis in the intestinal secretory action of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin II.

The prostaglandin response of mouse intestinal epithelial cells after exposure to Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin II was examined. The quantity of prostaglandin E2 produced by the intestinal cells was directly related to the dose of heat-stable enterotoxin II. The change in the amount of prostaglandin E2 over time correlated to that of the volume of fluid released into the intestinal lumen. We then demonstrated that administration of heat-stable enterotoxin II into the intestinal loops of mice induced elevation of arachidonic acid and phosphatidic acid levels in intestinal epithelial cells. These results show that heat-stable enterotoxin II stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism in intestinal epithelial cells and that the synthesized prostaglandin E2 functions as a mediator of fluid secretion induced by this enterotoxin.

Animals↗

Evidence for a further enterotoxin complex produced by Bacillus cereus.

Out of 321 strains of Bacillus cereus from several sources and isolated in four different countries, 239 (74%) produced cytotoxins. Only 127 (53%) of the cytotoxic strains were positive for the B-component gene of the haemolysin BL (enterotoxin) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Western blots using antiserum produced against enterotoxin(s) gave positive results for 199 (83%) of the cytotoxic B. cereus strains. On closer examination of seven of the strains, involved in food poisoning, we found that two strains completely lacked the L2- and B-components (of the haemolysin BL), and two strains were negative for the B-component gene by PCR, but were positive for the L2-component. From our experiments we concluded that there is at least one enterotoxin complex in addition to the haemolysin BL enterotoxin and enterotoxin T.

Animals↗

The sequence of the non-haemolytic enterotoxin operon from Bacillus cereus.

The non-haemolytic enterotoxin from Bacillus cereus has been sequenced. It is composed of three components, non-haemolytic enterotoxin A, B and C of 41.0, 39.8 and 36.5 kDa, respectively. Transcription of the operon seems to be positively regulated by plcR, a gene that also regulates phospholipase C expression. There is substantial similarity between the three proteins of non-haemolytic enterotoxin and between the non-haemolytic enterotoxin and haemolytic enterotoxin proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

An enterotoxin produced by Clostridium perfringens type D. Purification by affinity chromatography.

Clostridium perfringens type D 9867 produced enterotoxin immunologically identical to that produced by types A and C which are responsible for C. perfringens food poisoning. Enterotoxin from type C 5386 and type D 9867 was produced in Duncan og Strong sporulation medium (DS medium). The supernatant fluid from DS-cultures was used for purification of the enterotoxin by affinity chromatography on a monospecific anti-enterotoxin-coupled CNBr activated-Sepharose 4B and activated CH-Sepharose 4B column. The enterotoxin purified by this one-step procedure proved to be of a purity comparable to that obtained by conventional methods, and possessed lethal activity in mice.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

Fluid accumulation in mouse ligated intestine inoculated with Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin.

Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin, when inoculated into the ligated intestinal loop of mice, caused marked distension due to fluid accumulation. The increase in weight of the intestinal loop was proportional to the log dose of enterotoxin within a range from 1 to 16 micrograms. The fluid accumulation was arrested by washing the loop with saline or by injection of the specific anti-enterotoxin serum into the loop 5 or even 30 min after inoculation of the enterotoxin. A significant increase in weight of the loop was found as early as 10 min after inoculation of the toxin. These results may suggest that entergotoxin is neither bound firmly to the mucosal membrane nor permeates into the cells of the intestinal wall. The mouse intestinal loop test is economical, simple to perform, and applicable for quantitative determination of the enteropathogenic activity of C. perfringens enterotoxin.

Animals↗

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in foods.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in foods. The "double-antibody sandwich" protocol combines parts of several procedures reported previously. Horseradish peroxidase was conjugated to antibody specific for an enterotoxin, and the antibody-enzyme conjugate was assayed with a 2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid)-H2O2 substrate solution. Enterotoxins were added to a variety of foods that were representative of those implicated in staphylococcal food poisoning outbreaks. Extracts of the foods were assayed by the ELISA and radioimmunoassay. Enterotoxin levels below 1 ng/g of food were consistently detectable by the ELISA. These results compared favorably with those of the radioimmunoassay. Experiments confirmed the interference of protein A in double-antibody sandwich ELISAs. Although protein A interference has not been demonstrated to be a problem in food extracts, we suggest a screen for protein A interference in which immunoglobulin G from nonimmunized rabbits is used. All of the known staphylococcal enterotoxins could be detected by this method. Analysis of a food product for entertoxin by the ELISA can be completed in an 8-h working day.

Animals↗

Chromatofocusing: a new method for purification of staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C1.

A new chromatographic procedure was developed which obtained highly purified preparations of staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C1 in yields of 60% from cultures of Staphylococcus aureus and which is faster than any of the separation methods used previously. The procedure involves chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose, removal of alpha-toxin by adsorption to rabbit erythrocyte membranes, and finally, chromatofocusing as the fundamental new step. Enterotoxins were obtained in highly purified form and behaved in a homogeneous manner as determined by ultracentrifugation and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, with molecular weights of 34,000 for staphylococcal enterotoxin B and 30,000 for staphylococcal enterotoxin C1. Using chromatofocusing as the final purification step, we isolated three B and six C1 distinct but immunologically identical enterotoxin fractions, which were found to be devoid of any impurities and to possess a marked degree of toxicity in monkeys.

Chromatography↗

Nature and reactivity of staphylococcal enterotoxin A monoclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies from four clones (C5, C3, B2II, and B2I) directed against staphylococcal enterotoxin A were tested by the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and double-gel immunodiffusion (micro-Ouchterlony) assay for the nature of heavy and light chain types. The reactivities of monoclonal antibodies were also tested by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with various levels of purified staphylococcal enterotoxin A and various levels (dilutions) of monoclonal antibodies and saturation analysis-competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The heavy-chain isotype of monoclonal antibodies was found to be an unspecified subclass of immunoglobulin G1, and the light chain was the kappa type. Monoclonal antibodies from all of the clones exhibited high reactivity and nearly the same affinity to staphylococcal enterotoxin A in saturation analysis-competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Purified immunoglobulin G from B2I yielded very high absorbance (1.2) at 405 nm with 1 ng of staphylococcal enterotoxin A as the coating antigen in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Monoclonal antibodies from B2I also neutralized the biological activity of staphylococcal enterotoxin A when tested by the kitten bioassay.

Animals↗

Effects of nisin and temperature on survival, growth, and enterotoxin production characteristics of psychrotrophic Bacillus cereus in beef gravy.

The presence of psychrotrophic enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus in ready-to-serve meats and meat products that have not been subjected to sterilization treatment is a public health concern. A study was undertaken to determine the survival, growth, and diarrheal enterotoxin production characteristics of four strains of psychrotrophic B. cereus in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth and beef gravy as affected by temperature and supplementation with nisin. A portion of unheated vegetative cells from 24-h BHI broth cultures was sensitive to nisin as evidenced by an inability to form colonies on BHI agar containing 10 micrograms of nisin/ml. Heat-stressed cells exhibited increased sensitivity to nisin. At concentrations as low as 1 microgram/ml, nisin was lethal to B. cereus, the effect being more pronounced in BHI broth than in beef gravy. The inhibitory effect of nisin (1 microgram/ml) was greater on vegetative cells than on spores inoculated into beef gravy and was more pronounced at 8 degrees C than at 15 degrees C. Nisin, at a concentration of 5 or 50 micrograms/ml, inhibited growth in gravy inoculated with vegetative cells and stored at 8 or 15 degrees C, respectively, for 14 days. Growth of vegetative cells and spores of B. cereus after an initial period of inhibition is attributed to loss of activity of nisin. One of two test strains produced diarrheal enterotoxin in gravy stored at 8 or 15 degrees C within 9 or 3 days, respectively. Enterotoxin production was inhibited in gravy supplemented with 1 microgram of nisin/ml and stored at 8 degrees C for 14 days; 5 micrograms of nisin/ml was required for inhibition at 15 degrees C. Enterotoxin was not detected in gravy in which less than 5.85 log10 CFU of B. cereus/ml had grown. Results indicate that as little as 1 microgram of nisin/ml may be effective in inhibiting or retarding growth of and diarrheal enterotoxin production by vegetative cells and spores of psychrotrophic B. cereus in beef gravy at 8 degrees C, a temperature exceeding that recommended for storage or for most unpasteurized, ready-to-serve meat products.

Animals↗

Resistance of free-living nematodes to staphylococcal enterotoxin.

The usefulness of free-living nematodes for assaying staphylococcal enterotoxin was evaluated with a 98% pure enterotoxin B on five different nematodes. Included in the evaluation was an enterotoxin B in a crude culture filtrate. The filtrate of a culture of nonenterotoxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus, the uninoculated respective broth media, and distilled water were used as controls. The purified enterotoxin was found to exert no toxic effects at dosages ranging from 10 to 1,000 mug/ml for as long as 24 hr. Utilization of the toxin-protein by these nematodes was evidenced by their propagation after exposure times longer than 24 hr. The crude filtrate, containing 28 mug of enterotoxin per ml, was detrimental to nematodes to the same degree as the nontoxic filtrate and the uninoculated broths, in that they all caused irritation to external genitalia, motility changes, and death after comparable exposure times. This is in agreement with earlier observations that standard bacteriological fluid media, or broths containing over 1% protein hydrolysate or 1 to 2% salts, exert toxic effects on free-living nematodes.

Antitoxins↗

Influence of food microorganisms on staphylococcal growth and enterotoxin production in meat.

Forty-four microorganisms were studied for their influence on staphylococcal growth and enterotoxin production. Inhibition was found to be more common than stimulation. Two types of inhibition were observed: inhibition of staphylococcal growth, and inhibition of enterotoxin formation with no apparent effect on growth. By use of a plate test, 12 of the 44 food microorganisms were found to inhibit staphylococcal growth at 35 C. Of the 12, 3 also inhibited growth at 25 C. No significant differences in inhibition were observed with the 15 strains of enterotoxigenic staphylococci. In meat slurries, inhibition of staphylococcal growth was found to be greater at 25 C than at 35 C. Results on inhibition obtained from the plate test could not be correlated with the effect of the organisms in slurries. Environmental conditions were found to affect markedly the influence of food microorganisms on staphylococci. Of the 44 food microorganisms studied, only Bacillus cereus was observed to stimulate significantly staphylococcal growth and enterotoxin formation. Stimulation was more pronounced with Staphylococcus aureus 196E than with other strains of enterotoxigenic staphylococci. Bacillus megaterium and Brevibacterium linens were inhibited by staphylococci. These organisms were completely inhibited when inoculated in mixed cultures with staphylococci. In pure cultures, good staphylococcal growth was found to be accompanied by enterotoxin production; however, in the presence of food microorganisms, good staphylococcal growth occurred without the formation of detectable levels of enterotoxin A.

Bacteria↗

Production of enterotoxin A in milk.

Enterotoxin A production in milk was studied by use of variables of milk quality, initial numbers of enterotoxigenic staphylococci, incubation temperature, and time. In both raw and pasteurized milks having a low total viable count, enterotoxin was detected in minimal incubation times of 6 to 9 hr at 35 C, 9 to 12 hr at 30 C, 18 hr at 25 C, and 36 hr at 20 C, after inoculation with 10(6)Staphylococcus aureus cells per ml. When similar milks were inoculated with 10(4)S. aureus cells per ml, enterotoxin was detected in 12 hr at 35 C, 18 hr at 30 C, 24 to 36 hr at 25 C, and 48 to 96 hr at 20 C. In high-count raw milk, enterotoxin was detected only in samples inoculated with 10(6)S. aureus cells per ml and incubated at 35 C. Generally, a concentration of 5 x 10(7)S. aureus cells per ml of milk was reached before enterotoxin A was detected.

Animals↗

Effect of pH and oxygen tension on staphylococcal growth and enterotoxin formation in fermented sausage.

Commercial fermented 0sausages that contained significant numbers of viable coagulase-positive staphylococci were found to have the growth localized in the outermost areas of the sausage where oxygen tension was highest. Staphylococci were found to be more acid-tolerant aerobically than anaerobically. With chemical acidulation of sausage, growth could be controlled both aerobically and anaerobically with approximately 1.5% glucono delta lactone. Biological acidulation with a high inoculum of Pediococcus cerevisiae inhibited anaerobic staphylococcal growth but failed to suppress aerobic growth completely. A staphylococcal count of approximately 4 x 10(7) cells/g of sausage appeared to be necessary to produce detectable enterotoxin A within 24 hr in sausage. A minor difference existed in the relative rates of production of the different types of enterotoxin. Detectable enterotoxin A was produced in 24 hr in sausage held in atmospheres containing 10, 15, and 20% oxygen. In an atmosphere containing 5% oxygen, toxin was detected after 48 hr of incubation. No toxin was detected after 120 hr under anaerobic conditions. Most staphylococcal strains tested initiated growth and produced detectable enterotoxin aerobically at a pH of 5.1 in broth media. Anaerobically, however, most strains failed to produce detectable enterotoxin below pH 5.7.

Aerobiosis↗

Effect of selected lactic acid bacteria on growth of Staphylococcus aureus and production of enterotoxin.

Representative strains of 15 species of lactic acid bacteria were examined for their ability to influence growth of Staphylococcus aureus and production of enterotoxin in associative culture. Among the organisms used as effectors the streptococci were most inhibitory, followed by Pediococcus cerevisiae. The lactobacilli and Leuconostoc citrovorum were not inhibitory to growth and only slightly inhibitory to production of enterotoxin. Enterotoxin was detected in all cultures in which the population of S. aureus reached 8 x 10(7) per ml. At lower S. aureus populations no enterotoxin was detected after incubation for 48 h. Mechanisms of inhibition of growth and enterotoxin production by S. aureus strain 243 grown in association with Streptococcus lactis A64 or P. cerevisiae 10791 in APT broth were investigated. Competition for vital nutrients, especially niacin and biotin, and probably production of hydrogen peroxide contribute to inhibition. Production of lactic acid appears to inhibit growth of S. aureus in the early but not the late stages of incubation.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Production of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, and C in colloidal dispersions.

Larger amounts of enterotoxin were produced when Staphylococcus aureus S-6 was grown under still (nonshaken) conditions in a medium that was a paste or gel than were produced in a liquid dispersion with the same colloidal ingredient or in control basal broth (4% NZ Amine-NAK containing 50 mug of thiamine per 100 ml and 1 mg of niacin per 100 ml). Four colloidal ingredients were used which had been previously demonstrated to not support enterotoxin production in buffer. The effect of the type of dispersion occurred earlier than that of the colloidal ingredient, but interactions were found. This effect was not observed when the cells were grown with aeration (shaken). Four other strains of S. aureus followed a similar pattern for enterotoxins A, B, and C, although liquid and paste with cornstarch and carrageenan were the only media compared to the control broth. Enterotoxins A and B were produced earlier by S. aureus S-6, and much greater quantities of enterotoxins were produced for all strains when incubated shaken.

Colloids↗

Comparative inhibitory effects of antigen and antibody in the staphylococcal enterotoxin solid-phase radioimmunoassay system.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay employing 125I-labeled enterotoxins and polystyrene tubes coated with specific antibody has been developed for assaying the relative concentrations of antibodies to staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B. Competitive binding occurs between tube-bound antibody and free antibody for binding sites on 125I-labeled enterotoxin. The sensitivity of the system is affected by the amount of antibody on the walls of the tubes, the concentration of 125I-labeled enterotoxin added to the system, and probably by the relative binding affinities of the bound and unbound antibodies. Antibody, 0.01 to 0.07 mug/ml, inhibited the uptake of 125I-labeled enterotoxin by 20%. Both the antibody and antigen solid-phase radioimmunoassay inhibition systems can be appropriately represented by either of the following two models: Loge (Y/1 - Y) = alpha0 + alpha1 LogeX and LogeY = beta0 + beta1 LogeX, where Y is bound activity, X is antigen or antibody concentration for inhibition, and alpha0, alpha1, beta0, and beta1 are regression coefficients. Estimates from the first model were slightly more precise for the antibody system, whereas the reverse was true for the antigen system.

Animals↗