STUDIES ON THE MODE OF ACTION OF DIPHTHERIA TOXIN

Abstract

Using tritium-labelled toxin, it was shown that HeLa cells treated with a saturating dose take up less than 2% ( 0.005ug/ml) of the added toxin within a 5-hour period. Diphtheria toxin exerts its action on cells by inhibition of protein synthesis. Low concentrations of toxin block the incorporation of C14-amino acids into protein in extracts of HeLa cells and of rabbit reticulo cytes. It was shown that the toxin interferes with a step involving the transfer of aminoacids from aminoacyl-sRNA to the growing polypeptide chain. A method for phage assay has been developed using an anti- head protein serum gammaglobulin fraction, trace labelled with I131. Bacteria to which 4 or more phage particles have been absorbed are specifically agglutinated by the serum. As determined by the I131 method, the classic PW8 strain releases less than 2% as much absorbable phage following UV induction as do P(beta d) under similar conditions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 28, 1964
Accession Number
AD0430331

Entities

People

  • A. M. Pappenheimer Jr

Organizations

  • Harvard University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acids
  • Actinomycetales Infections
  • Algal Proteins
  • Amino Acids
  • Bacteria
  • Biological Laboratories
  • Biomedical And Dental Materials
  • Cell Membrane
  • Cell-Free System
  • Cells
  • Cellular Structures
  • Filters
  • Globulins
  • Materials
  • Molecules
  • Proteins
  • Ribonucleic Acids

Fields of Study

  • Biology

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  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Immunology
  • Microbial Pathology