Rabbit erythrocyte band 3: a receptor for staphylococcal alpha toxin

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Abstract
Enzymes known to specifically cleave the band 3 component of the rabbit erythrocyte membrane were found to reduce both the hemolytic sensitivity to and the binding of the alpha toxin of Staphylococcus aureus. Lectins which bind to band 3 also inhibited the toxin. Lectins which do not bind to band 3 have no effect. Purified band 3, isolated by affinity chromatography on a concanavalin A column, was homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, had a molecular weight of 100 000, and inhibited the hemolytic activity of alpha toxin. Antibodies to the toxin–toxoid receptor were serologically indistinguishable from antiband 3.