Open AccessActivation of phospholipase A 2 in rabbit erythrocyte membranes by a novel hemolytic toxin (H‐toxin) of Clostridium septicum
Author(s) -
Takano Sanae,
Noda Masatoshi,
Kato Iwao
Publication year - 1990
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.1574-6968.1990.tb13958.x
Subject(s) - hemolysis , toxin , clostridium difficile toxin a , nad+ kinase , phospholipase a , clostridium septicum , biochemistry , phospholipase a2 , chemistry , phospholipase , biology , enzyme , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , clostridium difficile , antibiotics
1. Summary A primary effect of a novel H‐toxin of Clostridium septicum on the hemolvsis of rabbit erythrocytes was shown to be the activation of phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) associated with rabbit erythrocyte membranes by 20‐fold that of controls. Furthermore, the activation of PLA 2 induced by the H‐toxin was enhanced in the presence of NAD. The H‐toxin itself had no PLA 2 activity. On the contrary, the H‐toxin bound to palmitic acid at a molar proportion of 1:1 and lost its hemolytic activity. THe PLA 2 was not activated by the H‐toxin bound to palmitic acid. These results suggest that activation of the PLA 2 is responsible for development of the hemolytic activity of the H‐toxin.