title: Evidence for a further enterotoxin complex produced by Bacillus cereus.
abstract: Out of 321 strains of Bacillus cereus from several sources and isolated in four different countries, 239 (74%) produced cytotoxins. Only 127 (53%) of the cytotoxic strains were positive for the B-component gene of the haemolysin BL (enterotoxin) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Western blots using antiserum produced against enterotoxin(s) gave positive results for 199 (83%) of the cytotoxic B. cereus strains. On closer examination of seven of the strains, involved in food poisoning, we found that two strains completely lacked the L2- and B-components (of the haemolysin BL), and two strains were negative for the B-component gene by PCR, but were positive for the L2-component. From our experiments we concluded that there is at least one enterotoxin complex in addition to the haemolysin BL enterotoxin and enterotoxin T.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Microbiology and Food Hygiene, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway. per.e.granum@veths.no
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Granum
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gayther
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: te Giffel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004768:Enterotoxins