Novel mechanism for the CAMP reaction between Listeria monocytogenes and Corynebacterium equi.
The synergistic hemolytic reaction between Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Corynebacterium equi on blood agar plates was explored using a modified test-tube assay. A synergistic lysis of sheep red blood cells was observed with L. monocytogenes and either S. aureus or C. equi, using crude extracts. Synergism was also found with L. monocytogenes and purified cholesterol oxidase from Pseudomonas fluorescens and Brevibacterium brevi. Crude extracts of S. aureus sensitized sheep red blood cells to subsequent lysis with either L. monocytogenes or C. equi. The interaction between L. monocytogenes and C. equi apparently did not involve a pre-sensitization step; simultaneous exposure of sheep red blood cells to the two extracts was required. A number of strains of L. monocytogenes gave positive synergistic reactions with cholesterol oxidase, suggesting that this reaction may be more useful than the CAMP test with C. equi for identifying L. monocytogenes. These results suggest that a novel synergistic reaction may be taking place, possibly involving the listeriolysin O, or one or both of the phospholipases from L. monocytogenes.
McKellar
R C
RC
Centre for Food and Animal Research, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa.
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002789:Cholesterol Oxidase / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D012756:Sheep; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000502:physiology
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D002789:Cholesterol Oxidase; D010740:Phospholipases; C038705:hlyA protein, Listeria monocytogenes