Western blot analysis of the exotoxin components from Bacillus anthracis separated by isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis.
The components of the Bacillus anthracis exotoxins, protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF), and edema factor (EF), from 24 isolates were separated by isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis and detected by Western blot with monoclonal antibodies. Only two isoforms each were observed for PA and EF. Four isoforms were identified for LF. The biological activities of both lethal toxin and edema toxin were measured by using in vitro cell-based assays. This study provides another method of characterizing various isolates of B. anthracis by determining the isoelectric points of the exotoxin components and may be useful in the development of protective vaccines against B. anthracis infection.
Little
Stephen F
SF
Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5011, USA. stephen.little@amedd.army.mil
D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000737:chemistry*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000737:chemistry*; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D020033:Protein Isoforms
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C030325:anthrax toxin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases