The action of formaldehyde on staphylococcal delta haemolysin.
Native staphylococcal delta haemolysin was poorly immunogenic in the mouse. After treatment with formaldehyde at pH 5 or pH 7.5, haemolytic activity was rapidly lost but antigenic reactivity retained and, at pH 5, immunogenicity was enhanced. Treatment of the haemolysin with formaldehyde at pH 9.5 reduced haemolytic activity by 97% but did not enhance immunogenicity. There was no evidence of polymerisation of formaldehyde-treated delta haemolysin, and the enhanced immunogenicity was considered to be partly due to a reduced affinity for phospholipids.
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003378:Counterimmunoelectrophoresis; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006461:Hemolysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D051379:Mice; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D005557:Formaldehyde