Production and Release of Toxins A and B by Clostridium Difficile

• Published in: Journal of medical microbiology Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 385 - 391
• Main Authors: Ketley, J. M, Haslam, S. C, Mitchell, T. J, Stephen, J, Candy, D. C. A, Burdon, D. W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.12.1984; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bacterial Proteins; Bacterial Toxins - analysis; Bacterial Toxins - biosynthesis; Bacterial Toxins - metabolism; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Clostridium - growth & development; Clostridium - metabolism; Cytotoxins - analysis; Cytotoxins - biosynthesis; Cytotoxins - metabolism; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; Microbiology; Other techniques and industries; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; Pathogenesis; Cytotoxicity test; Clostridium difficile; Clostridiales; Extracellular; Infection; Toxin; Anaerobe; Clostridiaceae; Production; Bacteriosis; Microorganism culture; Bacteria; Intestinal disease; Pseudomembranous colitis; Detection; Immunoelectrophoresis; ELISA assay; Comparative study; Release
• DOI: 10.1099/00222615-18-3-385
• ISSN: 0022-2615

3 Department of Microbiology, University of Birmingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham B15 2TT * Institute of Child Health, Francis Road, Birmingham B16 8ET The General Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NH Correspondence to Dr J. Stephen, Department of Microbiology, University of Birmingham. Birmingham B15 2TT. Received March 19, 1984 Accepted May 9, 1984 The production and release of toxins A and B by Clostridium difficile during in-vitro culture was investigated. Cell-associated toxin A was detected by immunoelectrophoresis of bacterial extracts released by ultrasonication and by fluorescent antibody labelling of whole cells. Extracellular toxin A was detected by immunoelectrophoresis and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; extracellular toxin B was detected by cytotoxin assay. Both toxins A and B were produced and released during the decline phase of the bacterial growth cycle. The possible significance of these results in relation to the pathogenesis of pseudomembranous colitis is discussed.