Ricin and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Fate in Water Matrices
Abstract
This report is the final report for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency-funded project "Biological Toxin Fate in Water Matrices" (BA05TAS080) and summarizes research directed at characterizing toxin stability in deionized water (pH 7, 10 mM P04) with and without chlorine treatment in terms of hydrolysis/mass, denaturation, and activity as ascertained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism, cell toxicity (ricin), and cell activity (SEB). Details of the research will be published separately. The SEB work was supplemented by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Each toxin was stable for at least 30 days in 10 mM P04 (pH 7) at room temperature. For each toxin, the majority of the toxin precipitated when heated slowly to the toxin's Tm. The toxin remaining in solution retained some activity. Ricin remaining in solution maintained its native fold; SEB remaining in solution did not. Each toxin retained some activity after treatment at low initial chlorine: toxin molar ratios, with no activity observed for SEB after 5 day treatment with an initial chlorine: toxin ratio of 50:1 and for ricin after 24 hr treatment with an initial chlorine: toxin ratio of 100:1. As the initial chlorine: toxin ratio increased, the amount of native protein decreased.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA508555
Entities
People
- Amanda M. Schenning
- Janna S. Madren-whalley
- Jeffrey S. Rice
- Kevin M. Morrissey
- Lisa M. Reilly
- Philip B. Smith
- Thomas J. Rogers
- Vicky L. Bevilacqua
Organizations
- Temple University