Arcanolysin is a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin of the human pathogen Arcanobacterium haemolyticum.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum is an emerging human pathogen that causes pharyngitis, wound infections, and a variety of occasional invasive diseases. Since its initial discovery in 1946, this Gram positive organism has been known to have hemolytic activity, yet no hemolysin has been previously reported. A. haemolyticum also displays variable hemolytic activity on laboratory blood agar that is dependent upon which species the blood is derived.

Results

Here we describe a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) secreted by A. haemolyticum, designated arcanolysin (aln), which is present in all strains (n = 52) tested by DNA dot hybridization. Among the known CDCs, ALN is most closely related to pyolysin (PLO) from Trueperella (formerly Arcanobacterium) pyogenes. The aln

SUBMITTER: Jost BH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3215231 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature