title: High growing ability of Vibrio vulnificus biotype 1 is essential for production of a toxic metalloprotease causing systemic diseases in humans.
abstract: Vibrio vulnificus biotype 1, a causative agent of fatal septicemia or wound infection in humans, is known to produce a toxic metalloprotease as an important virulence determinant. V. vulnificus biotype 2 (serovar E), a primary eel pathogen, was found to elaborate an extracellular metalloprotease that was indistinguishable from that of biotype 1. The potential of V. vulnificus biotype 1 for production of the metalloprotease was compared with biotype 2 and other human non-pathogenic Vibrio species (Vibrio anguillarum and Vibrio proteolyticus). When cultivated at 25 degrees C in tryptone-yeast extract broth supplemented with 0.9% NaCl, all bacteria multiplied sufficiently and secreted significant amounts of the metalloprotease. However, at 37 degrees C with 0.9% NaCl, V. anguillarum neither grew nor produced the metalloprotease. In human serum, only V. vulnificus biotype 1 revealed a steady multiplication accompanied with production of the extracellular metalloprotease. This prominent ability of biotype 1 in growth and protease production may contribute to cause serious systemic diseases in humans.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Tsushima-Naka, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Tomoka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawase
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomochika
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinoda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004524:Eels / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D044967:Serum / Q000382:microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D041261:Vibrio vulnificus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D037521:Virulence Factors; D045726:Metalloproteases