Specifically stained staphylococcal alpha toxin particles were detected on unstained and nonspecifically stained ghost membranes when rabbit erythrocytes were exposed to alpha toxin and stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled specific antitoxin. Fading of the nonspecific staining was observed and was attributed to the degradation of the membranes by alpha toxin.

Four strains of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens did not degrade aflatoxin B1. Acetyl T-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol, verrucarin A, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A did not affect the specific growth rate of B. fibrisolvens CE51 significantly, but all were degraded to greater or lesser extents. Breakdown products were produced as a result of deacetylation reactions.

BACKGROUND Recent reports indicate increased incidence of Clostridium botulinum infections, particularly among drug abusers and tissue allograft recipients. Botulinum toxin also has potential application in biochemical warfare. The neurotoxin-induced paralysis often requires mechanical ventilation with and without muscle relaxants. The authors investigated the long-term effects of botulinum tox...

Cholera is a diarrheal disease caused by a protein toxin released by Vibrio cholera in the host's intestine. The toxin enters intestinal epithelial cells after binding to specific carbohydrates on the cell surface. Over recent years, considerable effort has been invested in developing inhibitors of toxin adhesion that mimic the carbohydrate ligand, with particular emphasis on exploiting the mul...

Although alpha-bungarotoxin (BGT), a common probe for nicotinic ACh receptors from vertebrate skeletal muscle, binds tightly to many autonomic ganglia, it fails to block nicotinic transmission in most of these ganglia. Recently, we have isolated a second toxin, toxin F, that blocks transmission in several autonomic ganglia, including the chick ciliary ganglion. 125I-Toxin F binds to 2 sites in ...