title: Characterisation of a synergohymenotropic toxin produced by Staphylococcus intermedius.
abstract: Staphylococcal synergohymenotropic (SHT) toxins damage membranes of host defence cells and erythrocytes by the synergy of two secreted and non-associated proteins: class S and class F components. Whereas Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL), gamma-hemolysin and Luk-M from Staphylococcus aureus are members of this toxin family, a new bi-component toxin (LukS-I + LukF-I) from Staphylococcus intermedius, a pathogen for small animals, was characterised and sequenced. It is encoded as a luk-I operon by two cotranscribed genes, like PVL, LukS-I + LukF-I shares a strong leukotoxicity of various PMNs, but only slight haemolytic properties on rabbit erythrocytes. When intradermally injected into rabbit skin, a 100 ng dose caused acute inflammatory reaction leading to tissue necrosis. The new SHT seemed to be largely distributed among various Staphylococcus intermedius strains.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009336:Necrosis; D011817:Rabbits; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007956:Leukocidins