Kim, K. (University of Washington, Seattle), and N. B. Groman. Mode of inhibition of diphtheria toxin by ammonium chloride. J. Bacteriol. 90:1557-1562. 1965.-The inhibition of diphtheria toxin by ammonium salts was independent of toxin concentration over a 100-fold range of toxin. Inhibition by minimal concentrations of ammonium chloride was abolished by lowering the pH, indicating that free am...

Prior studies have described two functionally distinct ligand-binding sites on whole diphtheria toxin, the NAD site, which catalyzes the intracellular ADP-ribosylation reaction, and the P site, which affects toxin binding to sensitive cells. Occupancy of the P site by ATP or other phosphorylated compounds inhibits toxin attachment to cells. Here we show that binding of NAD site and P site ligan...

Raised lesions were present on the left nasal vestibule of a 20-month-old Japanese Brown heifer. The largest mass which caused partial nasal obstruction was removed surgically. Corynebacterium ulcerans was identified in the mass. 16S ribosomal RNA and RNA polymerase beta subunit genes were 100% and 98% identical to other C. ulcerans strains. Histologically, multiple foci of eosinophilic granulo...

' One attack of diphtheria does not always confer a lasting immunity, second and even third attacks are not uncommon. This is probably because our body cells respond slowly to stimulation by diphtheria toxin with the production of antitoxin and the ordinary attack of diphtheria is too brief in duration for adequate stimulation of antitoxin production. This is indicated by the fact that several ...

After incubation with various agents in vitro, the lethal effects of aqueous solutions of Cl. perfringens alpha toxin, C. diphtheriae toxin, and E. coli endotoxin were tested in mice, guinea pigs, and rabbits, respectively. Iron, copper, cysteine, ascorbic acid, and versene counteracted the lethal effects of alpha toxin in mice, while magnesium, manganese, zinc, and citrate did not. Iron also c...

It has been demonstrated that a saturating dose of diphtheria toxin produced a 90% inhibition of polio-virus replication in HeLa cells. This inhibition was reflected in infectious viral RNA synthesis and in mature virus production. Toxin had no direct effect on virus particles or I-RNA, and poliovirus adsorption and eclipse appeared to be carried out normally in intoxicated cells. When toxin wa...