Experimental studies on the pathogenesis of infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa: direct evidence for toxin production during Pseudomonas infection of burned skin tissues. 1977

C B Saelinger, and K Snell, and I A Holder

Direct evidence is presented for the production of an exotoxin by Pseudomonas aeruginosa multiplying at the burned site in an infected mouse. Pseudomonas toxin was assayed by measurement of its ability to catalyze the transfer of radioactivity from [14C]adenine-labeled nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to elongation factor 2 (adenosine diphosphate ribosylation activity). This enzyme activity was found in saline extracts of burned infected skin but was not present in similar extracts of burned uninfected skin. It was detected in the serum of infected animals by 26 hr after infection. The level of active elongation factor 2 in the livers of infected mice was reduced significantly after infection. These data suggest that pseudomonas exotoxin, produced by bacteria multiplying at the burn site, enters the circulation and is disseminated to different organs where it acts by depletion of elongation factor 2 and thus causes a reduction in protein synthesis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011550 Pseudomonas aeruginosa A species of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria commonly isolated from clinical specimens (wound, burn, and urinary tract infections). It is also found widely distributed in soil and water. P. aeruginosa is a major agent of nosocomial infection. Bacillus aeruginosus,Bacillus pyocyaneus,Bacterium aeruginosum,Bacterium pyocyaneum,Micrococcus pyocyaneus,Pseudomonas polycolor,Pseudomonas pyocyanea
D011552 Pseudomonas Infections Infections with bacteria of the genus PSEUDOMONAS. Infections, Pseudomonas,Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection,Infection, Pseudomonas,Pseudomonas Infection,Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections
D002056 Burns Injuries to tissues caused by contact with heat, steam, chemicals (BURNS, CHEMICAL), electricity (BURNS, ELECTRIC), or the like. Burn
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001427 Bacterial Toxins Toxic substances formed in or elaborated by bacteria; they are usually proteins with high molecular weight and antigenicity; some are used as antibiotics and some to skin test for the presence of or susceptibility to certain diseases. Bacterial Toxin,Toxins, Bacterial,Toxin, Bacterial
D051379 Mice The common name for the genus Mus. Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus

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