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PubMed1990

In vitro tests for the measurement of clostridial toxins, toxoids and antisera. II. Titration of Clostridium perfringens toxins and antitoxins in cell culture.

The usefulness of cytopathic indicators for the titration of Cl perfringens beta and epsilon toxins has been investigated. Neutralization experiments with monoclonal antibodies have shown that the entities responsible for the lethal and dermonecrotic effects of Cl perfringens beta toxin preparations are identical. However, the cytopathic effects of the same preparations are caused by other entities. Therefore, titrations based upon lethal and dermonecrotic indicators of beta toxin are equally valid but those based on cytopathic effects are not. Similar experiments with Cl perfringens epsilon preparations have shown that their lethal, dermonecrotic and cytopathic activities are all caused by the same entity. It follows that all three activities can be valid indicators for toxin neutralization tests. Cell culture titrations of Cl perfringens epsilon antitoxin performed on rabbit sera at the levels of test prescribed by the European Pharmacopoeia have produced consistent results which agree closely with the dermonecrotic test. This test has, in turn, been shown to reflect the results of the mouse lethal test accurately. Titrations of cattle and sheep sera at lower levels of test have also produced results in close agreement with the in vivo test. It is concluded that cell culture titration offers a valid in vitro alternative to the use of mouse lethal and guinea-pig dermonecrotic indicators for the titration of sera generated in the course of potency tests and field trials of Cl perfringens epsilon vaccines.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

In vitro tests for the measurement of veterinary clostridial toxins, toxoids and antisera. I. Titration of Clostridium septicum toxins and antitoxins in cell culture.

The assay of Clostridium septicum antitoxin currently requires the inoculation of test mixtures intravenously into mice or intradermally into guinea-pig skin. An alternative indicator system based on the use of cell cultures is described. Evidence is presented to show that the toxins detected by the in vivo and in vitro indicators are indistinguishable in terms of molecular weight, charge and hydrophobicity and that there is a close agreement between the two methods of titration. Cell culture indicators are more sensitive than their in vivo counterparts, permitting detection of substantially lower titres than is possible using in vivo indicators. It is suggested that cell culture indicators may prove useful for the titration of Cl septicum antitoxin in sera from vaccine field trials and potency tests. Cell culture methods could also be used for the potency testing of antitoxin preparations.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Conformational change in the catalytic site of the ribonuclease YoeB toxin by YefM antitoxin.

The eubacterial chromosome encodes various addiction modules that control global levels of translation through RNA degradation. Crystal structures of the Escherichia coli YefM2 (antitoxin)-YoeB (toxin) complex and the free YoeB toxin have been determined. The structure of the heterotrimeric complex reveals an asymmetric disorder-to-order recognition strategy, in which one C terminus of the YefM homodimer exclusively interacts with an atypical microbial ribonuclease (RNase) fold of YoeB. Comparison with the YefM-free YoeB structure indicates a conformational rearrangement of the RNase catalytic site of YoeB, induced by interaction with YefM. Complementary biochemical experiments demonstrate that the YoeB toxin has an in vitro RNase activity that preferentially cleaves at the 3' end of purine ribonucleotides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1976

Affinity isolation of cultured tumor cells by means of drugs and hormones covalently bound to glass and Sepharose beads.

Isoproterenol, corticotropin (ACTH), and triodothyronine immobilized on glass and Sepharose beads by diazotization procedures have been shown to interact with cultured tumor cells of "target tissue" origin. Cells used were rat glioma cells (C6), rat adrenal tumor cells (Y-1), and rat pituitary tumor cells (GH3). The rat glioma cells bound principally to immobilized isoproterenol, whereas the rat adrenal tumor cells bound to immobilized corticotropin, and rat pituitary tumor cells bound to immobilized triiodothyronine. Binding was inhibited by preincubation of the cells in soluble drug or hormone. With C6 cells there was a positive correlation between adenylate cyclase [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing, EC 4.6.1.1] stimulation and the degree of binding to the immobilized isoproterenol. Norepinephrine, bound through the ethanolamine side chain via an amide linkage, did not bind cells, demonstrating specific structural requirements for drug-cell interactions. HeLa cells were shown to bind tightly to diphtheria toxin coupled to Sepharose beads via an amide bond. This binding was inhibited by prior incubation of the Sepharose toxin with purified antitoxin. Toxin bound to Sepharose via an azo bond did not bind cells. These data suggest that the cell affinities are due to cell surface receptors interacting with the immobilized drugs and hormones, and that the observed affinities possibly reflect the relative receptor complement of these cells.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed1983

Production of cholera toxin-like toxin by Vibrio mimicus and non-O1 Vibrio cholerae: batch culture conditions for optimum yields and isolation of hypertoxigenic lincomycin-resistant mutants.

Vibrio mimicus 61892, isolated in 1977 from a case of watery diarrhea in Bangladesh, produces an enterotoxin which possesses activity in Y-1 mouse adrenal cells and in rabbit ileal loops which is identical to the prototype cholera toxin (CT) produced by Vibrio cholerae 569B. The neutralization of the adrenal cell activity of 61892 toxin and 569B CT by homologous and heterologous antisera generates parallel titration curves which show complete neutralization in all cases. Paired titrations in the ganglioside GM1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (using either CT or Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin antitoxin) of both toxins indicates that 61892 toxin is antigenically indistinguishable from 569B CT. The specific activity of the two toxins in the rabbit ileal loop is virtually identical. Batch culture production of CT-like toxin and CT by isolates of V. mimicus and different biotypes of V. cholerae was found to be highest in shake flask cultures of Casamino Acids-yeast extract broth grown at 27 degrees C with vigorous aeration. Incorporation of lincomycin into the growth medium at a concentration of 50 micrograms/ml increased yields from wild-type strains. Dramatically higher yields were obtained when a spontaneous resistance mutant of strain 61892 was grown in the presence of 200 to 300 micrograms of lincomycin per ml. Under these conditions, yields of CT-like toxin were increased by 300- to 500-fold, and the highest yields reached more than 100 micrograms/ml after 44 h of culture. This is substantially higher than that reported in the literature for CT production by any strain of V. cholerae, including hypertoxigenic strain 569B.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1987

[The mouse paw edema test for titrating Shigella toxin and antitoxin and for determining the safety of the anatoxin].

The method for the titration of Shigella dysenteriae I neurotoxin, toxoid prepared from this toxin and different antitoxic preparations in the mouse paw edema test has been developed. The quantitative determination of antitoxin is based on the neutralization test. The conditions of titration (the dilutions of the neurotoxin and the neutralization doses of the antitoxin), as well as criteria for the evaluation of the positive or negative results, have been established.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

The YoeB toxin is a folded protein that forms a physical complex with the unfolded YefM antitoxin. Implications for a structural-based differential stability of toxin-antitoxin systems.

The chromosomal YoeB-YefM toxin-antitoxin module common to numerous strains of bacteria is presumed to have a significant role in survival under stringent conditions. Recently we showed that the purified YefM antitoxin is a natively unfolded protein, as we previously reported for the Phd antitoxin in the P1 phage Doc-Phd toxin-antitoxin system. Here we report the purification and structural properties of the YoeB toxin and present physical evidence for the existence of a tight YoeB. YefM polypeptide complex in solution. YoeB and YefM proteins co-eluted as single peaks in sequential Ni-affinity FPLC and Q-Sepharose ion-exchange chromatography implying the formation of a YoeB. YefM complex. The unstable antitoxin was removed from the mixture by natural proteolysis, and the residual YoeB protein was purified using ion exchange chromatography. Fluorescence anisotropy studies of the purified YoeB and YefM proteins showed a 2:1 stoichiometry of the complex, providing direct evidence for a physical complex between the proteins. Near- and far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy of the purified toxin revealed that, similar to the Doc toxin, YoeB is a well-folded protein. Thermal denaturation experiments confirmed the conformational stability of the YoeB toxin, which underwent reversible thermal unfolding at temperatures up to 56 degrees C. The thermodynamic features of the toxin-antitoxin complex were similar. Taken together, our results support the notion of a correlation between differential physiological and structural stability in toxin-antitoxin modules.

Anisotropy↗
PubMed2005

Small untranslated RNA antitoxin in Bacillus subtilis.

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules are pairs of genes in which one member encodes a toxin that is neutralized or whose synthesis is prevented by the action of the product of the second gene, an antitoxin, which is either protein or RNA. We now report the identification of a TA module in the chromosome of Bacillus subtilis in which the antitoxin is an antisense RNA. The antitoxin, which is called RatA (for RNA antitoxin A), is a small (222 nucleotides), untranslated RNA that blocks the accumulation of the mRNA for a toxic peptide TxpA (for toxic peptide A; formerly YqdB). The txpA and ratA genes are in convergent orientation and overlap by ca. 75 nucleotides, such that the 3' region of ratA is complementary to the 3' region of txpA. Deletion of ratA led to increased levels of txpA mRNA and lysis of the cells. Overexpression of txpA also caused cell lysis and death, a phenotype that was prevented by simultaneous overexpression of ratA. We propose that the ratA transcript is an antisense RNA that anneals to the 3' end of the txpA mRNA, thereby triggering its degradation.

3' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2005

The evolution of pTF-FC2 and pTC-F14, two related plasmids of the IncQ-family.

Two plasmids, pTF-FC2 and pTC-F14, that belong to the IncQ-like plasmid family were isolated from two related bacteria, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus caldus, respectively. The backbone regions of the two plasmids share a sufficiently high amount of homology to indicate that they must have originated from the same ancestral plasmid. Although some of their replication proteins could complement each other, the plasmids have evolved sufficiently for their replicons to have become compatible. This compatibility has occurred by changes in the iteron sequence, RepC (iteron binding protein) specificity and the regulation properties of the RepB primase. Two of the five mobilization genes have remained highly conserved, whereas the other three genes appear to have evolved such that each plasmid is mobilized most efficiently by a different self-transmissible plasmid. Plasmids pTF-FC2 and pTC-F14 do not appear to compete at the level of mobilization. The antitoxins of the toxin-antitoxin (TA) plasmid stability systems were partly able to neutralize the toxins of the other plasmid and also to partly cross-regulate the TA systems of the other plasmid with the antitoxin of pTF-FC2 being the most effective cross-regulator. Other aspects of the evolution of the two plasmids are described and the danger of making the assumption that incompatibly of IncQ-like plasmids is a reflection of the degree of relatedness of two plasmids is discussed.

Acidithiobacillus↗
PubMed1957

Experimental study of diphtheritic polyneuritis in the rabbit and guinea pig. I. Immunologic and histopathologic observations.

Diphtheritic neuritis was produced in rabbits and guinea pigs by injection of underneutralized toxin-antitoxin mixtures. The disease is a progressive, ataxic paresis related in severity to the dose of injected toxin-antitoxin. Cerebrospinal fluids of rabbits with this disease showed "albuminocytologic dissociation" similar to that found in the same disease in man. Histologically the disease is a progressive demyelination of the peripheral nervous system, un-accompanied by axis cylinder damage or inflammation. It involves the spinal roots and sensory ganglia in the rabbit, the peripheral nerves in the guinea pig. Diphtheritic neuritis can be distinguished from experimental allergic neuritis in the rabbit and guinea pig on both clinical and histological grounds. The rabbit disease is however an excellent model of diphtheritic neuritis in man. In the animals with diphtheritic neuritis, studied in the present work, there was vigorous production of circulating antitoxin and infrequently complement-fixing antibody to horse serum proteins. No antibody against rabbit spinal cord or sciatic nerve was demonstrated. Skin reactivity to both rabbit nerve suspension and diphtheria toxoid was present at 1 to 2 weeks following inoculation and reached a maximum well before the peak of antitoxin response. These reactions did not seem to be typical delayed reactions. No correlation existed between the development of diphtheritic polyneuritis and any of these immunologic events or the circulating complement level, either in time or in degree. Treatment of rabbits with 400 r whole body irradiation 48 hours before inoculation resulted in severe leukopenia lasting about 3 weeks, delay of antitoxin formation with considerable reduction of peak titers, and some decreased skin reactivity to toxoid. It had no effect on the disease process. It is concluded that diphtheritic polyneuritis is produced by a non-immunologic mechanism, e.g., direct toxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1961

Antibody formation. I. The suppression of antibody formation by passively administered antibody.

The suppression of antibody formation by passively administered antibody is influenced by the dose and nature of the antigen, type of immunization procedure, ratio of antibody to antigen, species origin and characteristics of the antiserum used, as well as the species selected for immunization. In guinea pigs, diphtheria antitoxin formation can be effectively suppressed by an intravenous injection of excess homologous or heterologous antitoxin as long as 5 days after toxoid immunization and after delayed-type hypersensitivity to toxoid has developed. Following the period of antibody suppression which lasts 2 to 7 weeks, serum antibody can usually be demonstrated. It is proposed that this delayed immunization results from dissociation of antigen, since diphtheritic paralysis and death can be produced in guinea pigs and rabbits by the intravenous injection of toxin-antitoxin precipitates formed in antitoxin excess. This syndrome is prevented by injection of excess horse antitoxin 1 hour after injection of the toxin-antitoxin complexes.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

pSM19035-encoded zeta toxin induces stasis followed by death in a subpopulation of cells.

The toxin-antitoxin operon of pSM19035 encodes three proteins: the omega global regulator, the epsilon labile antitoxin and the stable zeta toxin. Accumulation of zeta toxin free of epsilon antitoxin induced loss of cell proliferation in both Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli cells. Induction of a zeta variant (zetaY83C) triggered stasis, in which B. subtilis cells were viable but unable to proliferate, without selectively affecting protein translation. In E. coli cells, accumulation of free zeta toxin induced stasis, but this was fully reversed by expression of the epsilon antitoxin within a defined time window. The time window for reversion of zeta toxicity by expression of epsilon antitoxin was dependent on the initial cellular level of zeta. After 240 min of constitutive expression, or inducible expression of high levels of zeta toxin for 30 min, expression of epsilon failed to reverse the toxic effect exerted by zeta in cells growing in minimal medium. Under the latter conditions, zeta inhibited replication, transcription and translation and finally induced death in a fraction (approximately 50 %) of the cell population. These results support the view that zeta interacts with its specific target and reversibly inhibits cell proliferation, but accumulation of zeta might lead to cell death due to pleiotropic effects.

Antitoxins↗