To study the existence of Clostridium septicum as probable agent associated with currently occurrence of black quarter in Urmia area, sheep-dung samples were collected. The bacteriological examinations on suspicious gram positive anaerobic spore-bearing bacilli which are in Clostridia genus include isolation and biochemical identification were performed. The results showed 28 different types ...

BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin is a major virulence factor, but its mechanism of action in vivo is incompletely understood. METHODS We examined the role of alpha-toxin in S. aureus pneumonia using the mouse model of intranasal lung infection with S. aureus strain 8325-4 (hla(+) S. aureus) and an alpha-toxin-deficient mutant strain made on the 8325-4 background (hla(-) S. aureus)...

A cholesteryl de-esterifying enzyme found in partially purified preparations of alpha toxin produced by the Wood 46 strain on Staphylococcus aureus has been separated from other staphylococcal proteins and from alpha toxin by isoelectric focusing and gel filtration. Preparations of alpha toxin from Bi-Gel P-60 columns and of the cholesteryl esterase from Bio-Gel P-200 columns showed a high degr...

BACKGROUND Bovine necrohemorrhagic enteritis is caused by Clostridium perfringens type A. Due to the rapid progress and fatal outcome of the disease, vaccination would be of high value. In this study, C. perfringens toxins, either as native toxins or after formaldehyde inactivation, were evaluated as possible vaccine antigens. We determined whether antisera raised in calves against these toxins...

The structural elements required for normal maturation and assembly of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit were investigated by expression of mutated subunits in transfected fibroblasts. Normally, the wild-type alpha subunit acquires high affinity alpha bungarotoxin binding in a time-dependent manner; however, mutation of the 128 and/or 142 cysteines to either serine or alanine, ...

Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis (NE) is a widespread disease in chickens that causes high mortality and reduced growth performance. Traditionally, NE was controlled by the routine application of antimicrobials in the feed, a practice that currently is unpopular. Consequently, there has been an increase in the occurrence of NE, and it has become a threat to the current objecti...

We constructed five genes encoding mutant human beta 2-adrenergic receptor sequence (beta 2AR) which contained 12-22 amino acid substitutions with corresponding sequence from the human alpha 2AAR in order to assess the receptor domains involved in Gs versus Gi recognition and coupling. Mutant beta 2AR with substitutions in the N (S1)- and C-terminal (S2) portions of the third intracellular loop...

In vivo targeting of peptides to antigen-presenting cells by use of agonistic anti-CD40 monoclonal antibodies has been used successfully as an immune response enhancing strategy. When tested in chickens, the antibody-guided platform was capable of inducing specific IgG production within 1 week postimmunization. However, use of this method beyond its initial conception as a vaccine delivery tool...

BACKGROUND Bovine enterotoxemia is a major cause of mortality in veal calves. Predominantly veal calves of beef cattle breeds are affected and losses due to enterotoxemia may account for up to 20% of total mortality. Clostridium perfringens type A is considered to be the causative agent. Recently, alpha toxin and perfringolysin O have been proposed to play an essential role in the development o...