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Infection and Immunity, April 1999, p. 1723-1728, Vol. 67, No. 4
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

An Arcanobacterium (Actinomyces) pyogenes Mutant Deficient in Production of the Pore-Forming Cytolysin Pyolysin Has Reduced Virulence

B. H. Jost,* J. G. Songer, and S. J. Billington

Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721

Received 18 November 1998/Returned for modification 4 January 1999/Accepted 14 January 1999

Pyolysin (PLO), the hemolytic exotoxin expressed by Arcanobacterium (Actinomyces) pyogenes, is a member of the thiol-activated cytolysin family of bacterial toxins. Insertional inactivation of the plo gene results in loss of expression of PLO with a concomitant loss in hemolytic activity. The plo mutant, PLO-1, has an approximately 1.8-log10 reduction in the 50% infectious dose compared to that for wild-type A. pyogenes in a mouse intraperitoneal infection model. Studies involving cochallenge of wild-type and PLO-1 bacteria resulted in recovery of similar numbers of both strains, suggesting that PLO production is required for survival in vivo. Recombinant, His-tagged PLO (His-PLO) is cytotoxic for mouse peritoneal macrophages and J774 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Protection against challenge with A. pyogenes could be afforded by vaccination with formalin-inactivated His-PLO, suggesting that PLO is a host-protective antigen, as well as a virulence determinant.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, The University of Arizona, 1117 East Lowell St., Tucson, AZ 85721. Phone: (520) 621-2745. Fax: (520) 621-6366. E-mail: jost{at}u.arizona.edu.

Infection and Immunity, April 1999, p. 1723-1728, Vol. 67, No. 4
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Esmay, P. A., Billington, S. J., Link, M. A., Songer, J. G., Jost, B. H. (2003). The Arcanobacterium pyogenes Collagen-Binding Protein, CbpA, Promotes Adhesion to Host Cells. Infect. Immun. 71: 4368-4374 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jost, B. H., Trinh, H. T., Songer, J. G., Billington, S. J. (2003). Immunization with Genetic Toxoids of the Arcanobacterium pyogenes Cholesterol-Dependent Cytolysin, Pyolysin, Protects Mice against Infection. Infect. Immun. 71: 2966-2969 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Billington, S. J., Songer, J. G., Jost, B. H. (2002). The variant undecapeptide sequence of the Arcanobacterium pyogenes haemolysin, pyolysin, is required for full cytolytic activity. Microbiology 148: 3947-3954 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Billington, S. J., Songer, J. G., Jost, B. H. (2002). Widespread Distribution of a Tet W Determinant among Tetracycline-Resistant Isolates of the Animal Pathogen Arcanobacterium pyogenes. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46: 1281-1287 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jost, B. H., Songer, J. G., Billington, S. J. (2001). Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a Neuraminidase Gene from Arcanobacterium pyogenes. Infect. Immun. 69: 4430-4437 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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