title: Stimulation of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin formation by caffeine and theobromine.
abstract: In the presence of 100 micrograms of caffeine per ml or 200 micrograms of theobromine per ml, sporulation of Clostridium perfringens NCTC 8679 rose from less than 1 to 80 or 85%. Enterotoxin concentration increased from undetectable levels to 450 micrograms/mg of cell extract protein. Heat-resistant spore levels increased from less than 1,000 to between 1 X 10(7) and 2 X 10(7)/ml. These effects were partially reversible by the addition of adenosine or thymidine. In the case of NCTC 8238, caffeine and theobromine caused a three- to fourfold increase in the percentages of cells possessing refractile spores and a similar increase in enterotoxin concentration. Heat-resistant spore levels, however, were unaffected. Inosine was ineffective in promoting sporulation in NCTC 8679.
mesh_terms: D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D013805:Theobromine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins; D009705:Nucleosides; D011687:Purines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D002110:Caffeine; D013805:Theobromine