We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the toxB gene (375 base pairs in length), which encodes the B subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin produced from Escherichia coli pathogenic for humans (hLT). The amino acid sequence of the B subunit of hLT was deduced from the nucleotide sequence. Consequently, it has become possible to study the homology between the B subunits of three similar t...

Shiga toxin has been purified in milligram quantities to near homogeneity from cell lysates of Shigella dysenteriae 1 strain 3818-0. Purification involved an initial ultracentrifugation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose, gel filtration, and preparative isoelectric focusing in sucrose gradients. The purified toxin was resolved by discon...

Shiga toxins (Stx) are commonly produced by Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 and Stx-producing Escherichia coli. However, the toxin genes have been detected in additional Shigella species. We recently reported the emergence of Stx-producing Shigella in travelers in the United States and France who had recently visited Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). In this study, we confirm this ...

Six peptides corresponding to various segments of the B subunit of cholera toxin have been synthesized and covalently linked to tetanus toxoid. Of the antibodies raised in rabbits against these conjugates, four crossreacted to different extents with the intact B subunit and whole native cholera toxin. Antisera to the peptide of sequence 75-85 were not crossreactive, whereas elongation by six am...

We conducted serologic and biochemical studies on strains of three provisional Shigella serotypes. Included were 19 strains of serotype 3873-50 from three countries (1 from Mexico, 1 from Netherlands Antilles, and 17 from the United States), 13 strains of serotype 3341-55 from three countries (1 from Canada, 1 from Bulgaria, and 11 from the United States), and 19 strains of serotype 19809-73 fr...