Evidence for a further enterotoxin complex produced by Bacillus cereus.
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.
Granum
P E
PE
Department of Pharmacology, Microbiology and Food Hygiene, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway. per.e.granum@veths.no
Andersson
A
A
Gayther
C
C
te Giffel
M
M
Larsen
H
H
Lund
T
T
O'Sullivan
K
K
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
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004768:Enterotoxins