PURIFICATION AND SOME PROPERTIES OF KAPPA TOXIN OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS

Abstract

κ-Toxin of Clostridium perfringens type A was purified by gel filtration through Sephadex G-100 followed by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The purified preparation showed no activities of other toxins produced by the organism and of such enzymes as neuraminidase, deoxyribonuclease, hyaluronidase or proteinase (caseinolytic) . The purified toxin behaved as a single component by immunoelectrophoresis and by centrifugation in sucrose density gradient. An approximate molecular weight of 80, 000 was estimated. A definite hemorrhage was produced with 0.7μg of the toxin in the depilated rabbit skin. Mice were killed with 30μg; on autopsy severe hemorrhage in the lungs was the only visible pathological change. An extensive destruction of connective tissue resulted from the subcutaneous injection of the toxin into the guinea pig. Intact muscle was also destroyed severely by the intramuscular injection of the toxin.