STUDY OF TOXINS OFCLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUMIII

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Maximum amounts of toxin appear in cultures of C botulinum type C between the 8th and the 15th day of incubation. This is not consistent with the theory that the toxin is a product of bacterial metabolism and is excreted into the medium during growth. C. botulinum autolyses rapidly. The relationship of autolysis to toxin production was studied. C. botulinum was grown in cellophane bags immersed in corn-steep liquor. The amounts of N found in the supernate and in the organisms on successive days were plotted against toxicity. Rise in toxicity paralleled closely the rise in the amount of protein N in the supernate and accounted for the decrease in N in the organisms. If small aliquots of heated supernate of 10 days culture were added to a 48 hour culture the toxicity of the young culture rose sharply. This increase in toxicity was paralleled by the increase in relate numbers of Gram-negative cells. This suggested the presence of some lytic substance which lysed the organisms and released the toxin.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: