Inhibition of Clostridium botulinum 52A toxicity and protease activity by sodium acid pyrophosphate in media systems

The effects of two pH levels (5.55 or 5.85) in combination with 0.4% sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), NaH2PO4 X H2O, Na2HPO4 X 7H2O, or NaCl on the growth and toxicity of Clostridium botulinum 52A were studied. Absorbancy measurements at 630 nm, microscopic observations, and the mouse bioassay procedure were used to observe the effects. At pH 5.55 and 5.85 most control cultures exhibited toxicity when cell lysis began. Vegetative cell development was normal (4 micron long; 1 micron wide). SAPP-containing (0.4%) treatment cultures displayed similar growth and lysis but no or delayed (48 h) toxicity. Cells grown in the SAPP treatment culture were longer and wider (6 micron long; 1.5 micron wide) than in most other treatment cultures. Trypsinization of nontoxic supernatants from 0.4% SAPP resulted in toxicity. Addition of 0.4% SAPP to toxic C. botulinum supernatant delayed but did not prevent death of mice. The addition of various levels of SAPP to toxic supernatants resulted in a decrease in zone size with an increase in the level of SAPP (9 mm with 0.4% SAPP to 7 mm with 1.0% SAPP), using a dual substrate protease assay. A decrease in the zone size also occurred with the supernatant from cultures grown in the presence of SAPP and with Bacillus polymyxa protease dilutions containing 0.4% SAPP. Results suggest that the actual production or function of the protease responsible for toxin activation may have been inhibited by the presence of SAPP.