Open AccessEvidence for a further enterotoxin complex produced by Bacillus cereus
Author(s) -
Granum Per Einar,
Andersson Annika,
Gayther Claire,
Te Giffel Meike,
Larsen Helle,
Lund Terje,
O'Sullivan Kristin
Publication year - 1996
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.1574-6968.1996.tb08376.x
Subject(s) - enterotoxin , bacillus cereus , hemolysin , cereus , microbiology and biotechnology , toxin , antiserum , biology , polymerase chain reaction , gene , bacteria , escherichia coli , genetics , virulence , antibody
Out of 321 strains of Bacillus cereus from several sources and isolated in four different countries, 239 (74%) produced cytotoxins. Only 127 (53%) of the cytotoxic strains were positive for the B‐component gene of the haemolysin BL (enterotoxin) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Western blots using antiserum produced against enterotoxin(s) gave positive results for 199 (83%) of the cytotoxic B. cereus strains. On closer examination of seven of the strains, involved in food poisoning, we found that two strains completely lacked the L 2 ‐ and B‐components (of the haemolysin BL), and two strains were negative for the B‐component gene by PCR, but were positive for the L 2 ‐component. From our experiments we concluded that there is at least one enterotoxin complex in addition to the haemolysin BL enterotoxin and enterotoxin T.