Open AccessProduction of Vero cytotoxin by strains of Escherichia coli as related to the availability of iron
Author(s) -
Chart Henrik,
Scotland Sylvia M.,
Rowe Bernard
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1987.tb02629.x
Subject(s) - vtec , escherichia coli , toxin , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , vero cell , biology , shiga like toxin , extracellular , enterobacteriaceae , biochemistry , in vitro , gene , genetics
Vero cytotoxin (VT) producing strains of Escherichia coli (VTEC), including isolates from cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome and infantile diarrhoea, were used to determine the effect of iron availability on the production of intra‐ and extracellular VT, with particular interest in elevating toxin production by low‐level toxin producing VTEC. Culturing bacteria under iron restriction resulted in growth retardation and a decrease in the production of VT. For the routine detection of both high‐ and low‐level VT‐producing E. coli , there was no advantage to be gained by growing bacteria under iron restriction or using disrupted bacterial cell preparations; on the contrary, testing culture supernatants from bacteria grown in iron‐replete media for approximately 14 h proved to be the most sensitive and accurate method for detecting VT and the resultant identification of VTEC.