Mode of action of the alpha toxin of Staphylococcus aureus

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Abstract
Rabbit erythrocytes treated with the alpha toxin of Staphylococcus aureus, strain "Wood-46", liberate substances which contain nitrogen, absorb at 280 mμ, and react with Folin phenol reagent. The susceptibility of different erythrocyte species to alpha toxin is correlated with (a) the quantity of reaction products released by toxin from the cells and (b) the degree of natural proteolytic activity possessed by the cells. Alpha toxin was, however, without effect upon albumin, fibrinogen, casein, and hemoglobin even when these proteins had been denatured with urea. In view of the evidence, it is suggested that the toxin is secreted by the Staphylococcus as an inactive protease which must be activated by another protease. The degree of activity of this protease in various red cell species would explain their differential sensitivity to alpha toxin.

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