The effect of certain bacterial toxins upon some respiratory mechanisms of animal tissues

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Abstract
The effect of various toxins obtained from the Clostridium group of bacteria upon the rate of oxidation of succinate by suspensions of minced tissues of guinea pigs was examined in Barcroft micro-respirometers. This oxidation was inhibited by the toxins, but only the toxins of C. welchii, types A, C and D inhibited more strongly than a broth precipitate prepared similarly to the toxins. Thus if 150 represented the rate of oxidation of succinate by small intestine this figure was reduced to 82 by broth precipitate, and 16, 36, 70, 78, 87, 82 by the toxins of C. welchii, types A, C and D, C. dematiens, C. septique and C. tetani respectively. The inhibition was due to the [alpha]-toxin of C. welchii as (a) it was only marked with toxins containing the [alpha]-toxin, (b) the inhibitory factor was heat labile, and (c) it was neutralised to a large extent by the presence of antisera containing o-antitoxin. The inhibition was not exerted directly upon either the succinate-dehydrogenase or Keilin''s indophenol oxidase, but upon some factor associated with the dehydro-genase, possibly a carrier catalyst. The importance to pathogenic bacteria of mechanisms capable of inhibiting respiratory systems of host animals was briefly discussed.

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