1887

Abstract

SUMMARY

Filtrates of grown in rabbit serum broth supplemented with sodium ribonucleate (Na-RNA) 1.0% contained a haemolysin for sheep, rabbit, and pig erythrocytes. Haemolysin was not detected in the absence of Na-RNA. Haemolytic titres were highest when viable counts were maximal at the end of the logarithmic growth phase. Haemolysin could not be demonstrated in the spirochaete-free supernates of either centrifuged washings from blood-agar cultures, or centrifuged frozen-and-thawed cultures in semi-solid blood agar. In contrast, washed spirochaetes lysed sheep erythrocytes suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or PBS-cysteine, provided that bovine serum albumin (BSA) fraction V was present. Haemolysin was produced aerobically as well as anaerobically. Ultrasonically disrupted spirochaetes did not produce haemolysin.

After incubation for 30 min at 37C, haemolysin was present in supernate or filtrate from centrifuged suspensions of resting cells of in PBS containing glucose or maltose, cysteine hydrochloride, Mg, and Na-RNA or ribonucleic acid (RNA)-core. By analogy with its function as a non-specific carrier molecule for the oxygen-stable streptococcal haemolysin streptolysin S, ribonucleic acid can be regarded as a carrier substance for the treponemal haemolysin. RNA-core was a more efficient carrier than Na-RNA; BSA fraction V and Tween 80 were less efficient than Na-RNA. Haemolysin was not produced in the absence of a carrier. Haemolysin production occurred at temperatures up to 42C, but was reduced at 18C and below. The haemolysin was inactivated slowly at 37C and 42C, and more rapidly at 60C. Titres also decreased slightly after 18 h at 4C.

Haemolysin was produced in only small amounts by resting cells of a weakly haemolytic porcine-intestinal spirochaete, and only during a restricted period in the logarithmic phase. A prozone was observed when this haemolysin was titrated.

The demonstration that the treponemal haemolysin can be produced from resting cells will facilitate its purification and thus expedite studies on its interaction with other types of mammalian cell.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-15-2-205
1982-05-01
2024-12-08
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/jmm/15/2/medmicro-15-2-205.html?itemId=/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-15-2-205&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Bernheimer A. W. 1949; Formation of a bacterial toxin (streptolysin S) by resting cells. J. exp. Med. 90:373
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Burrows M. R., Lemcke R.M. 1981; Identification of Treponema hyodysenteriae by a rapid slide agglutination test. Vet. Rec 108:187
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Ginsburg I. 1970 Streptolysin S. Microbial toxins III edited by Montie T. C., Kadis S., Ajl S. J. Academic Press; New York:99
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Ginsburg I., Bentwich Z., Harris T. N. 1965; Oxygen-stable hemolysins of group A streptococci. III. The relationship of the cell-bound hemolysin to streptolysin S. J. exp. Med. 121:633
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Harris D. L., Glock R. D., Christensen C. R., Kinyon J. M. 1972a; Swine dysentery. I. Inoculation of pigs with Treponema hyodysenteriae (new species) and reproduction of the disease. Vet. Med., small Anim. Clin. 67:61
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Harris D. L., Kinyon J. M., Mullin M. T., Glock R. D. 1972b; Isolation and propagation of spirochetes from the colon of swine dysentery affected pigs. Can. J. comp. Med. 36:74
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Hryniewicz W., Pryjma J. 1977; Effect of streptolysin S on human and mouse T and B lymphocytes. Infect. Immun. 16:730
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Hryniewicz W., Pryjma J. 1980 The effect of streptolysin S on lymphocytes. In Streptococcal disease and the immune response edited by Read S. E., Zabriskie J. B. Academic Press; New York:199
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Hudson M. J., Alexander T. J. L., Lysons R. J. 1976; Diagnosis of swine dysentery: spirochaetes which may be confused with Treponema hyodysenteriae. Vet. Rec 99:498
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Jeljaszewicz J., Szmigielski S., Hryniewicz W. 1978 Biological effects of staphylococcal and streptococcal toxins. In Bacterial toxins and cell membranes edited by Jeljaszewicz J., Wadström T. Academic Press; London:185
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Knoop F. C. 1981; Investigation of a hemolysin produced by enteropathogenic Treponema hyodysenteriae. Infect. Immun. 31:193
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Lemcke R. M., Bew J., Burrows M. R., Lysons R.J. 1979; The growth of Treponema hyodysenteriae and other porcine intestinal spirochaetes in a liquid medium. Res. vet. Sci. 26:315
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Lemcke R. M., Burrows M.R. 1979; A disc growth-inhibition test for differentiating Treponema hyodysenteriae from other intestinal spirochaetes. Vet. Rec 104:548
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Lemcke R. M., Burrows M. R. 1981; A comparative study of spirochaetes from the porcine alimentary tract. J. Hyg., Camb. 86:173
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Picard B., Massicotte L., Saheb S. A. 1979; Effect of sodium ribonucleate on the growth and the hemolytic activity of Treponema hyodysenteria. Experientia 35:484
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Saheb S. A., Lafleur L. 1980; Characeristics of the interaction of a treponemal hemolysin with rabbit erythrocytes. Biochimie 62:787
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Saheb S. A., Massicotte L., Picard B. 1980; Purification and characterization of Treponema hyodysenteriae hemolysin. Biochimie 62:779
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Taylor D. J., Alexander T. J. L. 1971; The production of dysentery in swine by feeding cultures containing a spirochaete. Br. vet. J. 127:lviii
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-15-2-205
Loading
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-15-2-205
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error