Open AccessEmesis of rhesus monkeys induced by intragastric administration with the HEp‐2 vacuolation factor (cereulide) produced by Bacillus cereus
Author(s) -
Shinagawa Kunihiro,
Konuma Hirotaka,
Sekita Hiroyuki,
Sugii Shunji
Publication year - 1995
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.1574-6968.1995.tb07703.x
Subject(s) - bacillus cereus , toxin , microbiology and biotechnology , vacuole , vomiting , cereus , biology , outbreak , food poisoning , enterotoxin , pharmacology , chemistry , biochemistry , bacteria , medicine , virology , escherichia coli , gene , genetics , cytoplasm
To study the correlation between emetic toxin and HEp‐2 vacuole activity produced by Bacillus cereus isolated from an outbreak of vomiting‐type food poisoning, some properties and emetic activities of both purified HEp‐2 factor (cereulide) and partially purified factor to rhesus monkeys were determined. The results indicate that both cereulide and partially purified factor were very stable to digestion with proteolytic enzymes, different pH, and heating. Vomiting was induced in the rhesus monkeys orally administered with both substances. From these findings, cereulide (or HEp‐2 vacuole factor) is strongly suggested to be an emetic toxin itself.