Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin L.
Staphylococcus aureus causes a wide variety of diseases. Major virulence factors of this organism include enterotoxins (SEs) that cause both food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. Recently, a novel SE, tentatively designated SEL, was identified in a pathogenicity island from a bovine mastitis isolate. The toxin had a molecular weight of 26,000 and an isoelectric point of 8.5. Recombinant SEL shared many biological activities with SEs, including superantigenicity, pyrogenicity, enhancement of endotoxin shock, and lethality in rabbits when administered in subcutaneous miniosmotic pumps, but the protein lacked emetic activity. T cells bearing the T-cell receptor beta chain variable regions 5.1, 5.2, 6.7, 16, and 22 were significantly stimulated by recombinant SEL.
Orwin
Paul M
PM
Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Fitzgerald
J Ross
JR
Leung
Donald Y M
DY
Gutierrez
Juan A
JA
Bohach
Gregory A
GA
Schlievert
Patrick M
PM
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008254:Macaca nemestrina; D011817:Rabbits; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000633:toxicity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D004768:Enterotoxins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens